Chapter 108
“There are plenty of energetic ones this year too.”
The beastman with cat ears and a tail, Verga, checked the paperwork and spoke.
Normally, a member of the cat tribe would be a slender, beautiful beastman.
But Verga was different.
He stood nearly 2 meters tall, with a huge, burly frame.
He was so big that you’d believe he was a bear beastman, not a cat.
His face was also extremely fierce, and the scar on his left eye made him look even more intimidating.
“W-we’ll punish those guys immediately, Instructor Verga!”
Alzeya, the assistant instructor—a cat beastman—stood straight with her ears and tail bristling as she shouted.
Verga was feared not only by the students but even among the assistant instructors.
“Why should they be punished?”
“Sir?”
Verga Tune.
Three years ago, at Azonia’s request, he became an instructor, and his name was recorded in the Hero Record.
He pursued only one value in education.
Strength.
That’s why he was respected by so many Azonia students.
Verga got up from his seat and walked to the window.
Clatter-!
Waaaaaah—!
When he opened the window, the cheers that had been blocked by soundproofing magic poured in.
Hearing them, Verga curled his lips into a smile.
“Struggle is the direction Azonia must pursue!”
At Verga’s words, Alzeya swallowed nervously.
‘As expected of Instructor Verga! The perfect instructor for Azonia!’
The colosseum was packed with spectators.
And in the center, the entrance candidates were making their entrance.
A moment later, the iron bars of the arena opened, and a Mammoth—a Demonic Beast from Tartarus—appeared.
It had been captured alive by Azonia.
The entrance candidates quickly spread out as soon as they saw the Mammoth.
They each drew their weapons and began hunting the Mammoth.
Each showed off their own skills as they attacked the beast.
Every time a flashy technique erupted, the crowd roared in excitement.
Boom—!
Once the Mammoth finally fell, Verga asked,
“How long did it take?”
“It took 36 minutes!”
“How did the top ten free lecture students score?”
“They’re all above average!”
“Not good enough.”
“Sir? Thirty-six minutes is a decent record.”
“Hmph. That’s only in general cases. Assistant Instructor Alzeya, didn’t you hear about this year’s Lumene first-years?”
At Verga’s words, Alzeya fell silent.
The fact that the Lumene first-years succeeded in the Gigantes Raid was already a famous topic.
If it hadn’t been an official event, no one would have believed it even of Lumene.
That’s how unbelievable the incident was.
“And Seiren isn’t falling behind, either. Especially Ellen’s daughter, Lunia? I hear she’s extremely talented.”
Verga snorted, recalling his old elf rival from their generation.
“That’s why our new students this year have to be just as outstanding!”
With racial pride on the line, the hero academies couldn’t help but be fiercely competitive.
Hearing Verga, Alzeya nodded.
“It’s true Lumene seems ahead this year! But our candidates are impressive too! Especially this year!”
Waaaaaah—!
“Your own daughter is participating, Instructor Verga!”
At Alzeya’s words, Verga snorted.
“Of course!”
Even in Verga’s eyes, his daughter, Ar, was a warrior with the potential to surpass him.
‘That girl could easily be a class representative!’
Proudly watching his daughter, Verga’s eyes landed on a rabbit beastman boy with black hair who entered last.
The moment he saw that boy, Verga involuntarily sucked in a breath.
“Instructor?”
“Alzeya. Do you know anything about the mixed-race boy at the very end?”
“Sir? Um… I don’t recognize his face.”
Alzeya frantically searched the candidate roster with a confused face.
She had memorized the faces and names of all the notable candidates.
If there was a student she didn’t know, they were either among the lower ranks or had only a recommendation.
As Alzeya hurriedly checked the list,
Verga narrowed his eyes as he watched the boy.
‘Those eyes… just like Reina’s!’
His school days.
Verga recalled the woman he’d set as his goal, the class representative of Lumene.
‘Come to think of it, Reina received an Azonia entrance recommendation back then.’
Remembering something he’d forgotten, Verga’s eyes widened.
‘Could he really be Reina’s son?!’
—
“Waaaaah!”
“We’re looking forward to it!”
“Show us something amazing!”
Entering the arena, Leo looked at the cheering beastmen with a puzzled expression.
Leaning against the wall, Leo made a strange face.
‘Is this also part of the entrance ceremony? I thought Azonia’s entrance ceremony was just the desert marathon.’
Looking at the other candidates, they were all busy showing off for the crowd.
Some displayed their weapons with flair, others showed off their sharp claws and strength.
Among them were some familiar faces.
‘There are the guys who picked a fight with me earlier.’
The three beastmen from before were showing off their strength.
Of course, there were other familiar faces too.
The cat girl Ar was dazzling the crowd with her nimble movements.
Bouncing around, Ar spotted Leo leaning against the wall and beamed.
“Looks like we ended up in the same group!”
“Is this also part of Azonia’s entrance ceremony?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Isn’t the entrance ceremony just the desert marathon?”
Hearing Leo’s words, Ar made an exasperated face.
“This isn’t the entrance ceremony! It’s the Demonic Beast Carnival!”
“Demonic Beast Carnival?”
“You don’t know the Demonic Beast Carnival? Are you really a beastman?”
“I’m mixed, so I mostly lived in human society. I don’t know much about beastman culture.” (T/N: I’m quite confused. Beastmen are already mixed right?)
“Azonia’s entrance ceremony isn’t just an entrance ceremony! It’s one of the biggest festivals!”
“Cat lady! We’re looking forward to seeing you do something cool!”
When a boy shouted out his support, Ar gave a confident laugh, made a fist, and punched the wall.
Crash—!
“Wooooooow—!”
“That girl is no joke!”
“She’s the Tune family’s heir!”
“Of course!”
As the crowd cheered for Ar, who had smashed the wall with her fist, their excitement grew.
“Every year, tons of beastmen visit Azrek just to watch the entrance ceremony! This is one of the festivals to entertain them!”
Rumble—!
“And while it’s a festival for them, for us candidates it’s also a ritual!”
“A ritual?”
“Yeah! The threat of Tartarus is still real! So at this entrance ceremony, we shout to our people!”
With her hands on her hips and chest out, Ar shouted boldly.
“‘We are here!’”
“Oh?”
Leo let out a sound of admiration.
At that moment—thud! Thud!
The ground shook.
The candidates who had been showing off for the crowd grew tense.
Ar grinned and readied for battle.
Rumble! Clang!
Kwoooooar!
The iron bars opened, and a 3-meter-tall Demonic Beast with orange skin burst out.
“Cyclops! This’ll be fun!”
With a fierce smile, Ar poked Leo’s nose.
“Boop! Don’t freeze up like before, okay? Show us what you can do, Black Rabbit!”
Winking, Ar charged the Cyclops.
“‘We are here,’ huh.”
Leo smiled faintly.
‘I don’t need to stand out, so I’ll just hang back and observe the Azonia candidates’ skills.’
Since it wasn’t the actual entrance ceremony, there was no need to get involved.
Leo had come to Azonia’s entrance ceremony to see the hero candidates of other races with his own eyes.
‘I also need to find someone who can inherit Arron’s skills.’
Leo’s goal was the complete eradication of Erebos.
To achieve that, he needed companions.
Kyle had succeeded in subjugating Erebos as the last great hero.
But that was only possible because he inherited the essence of power left behind by his companions.
Even then, the best they could do was seal Erebos into several pieces.
No matter how much power Leo regained from his days as Kyle, erasing Erebos alone would be impossible.
‘New great heroes are needed.’
For that, he needed those who could inherit the strength of the friends he remembered.
In a way, Leo was the great heroes themselves.
Leo quietly observed the nine Azonia entrance candidates as they fought the Cyclops.
After carefully watching their movements, Leo tilted his head.
‘Their skills are on par with the Lumene kids.’
They had survived the half-year of free lectures at Azonia.
It was no exaggeration to say they’d received training comparable to Lumene’s first-years.
‘And that one is definitely on another level.’
Leo’s eyes shone.
She sliced the Cyclops with Aura at the tip of her sharp claws.
‘She’s not even showing her full power yet.’
Ar could handle the Cyclops alone.
With the advantage of numbers, it was almost like she was toying with it.
Every time she swung, the Cyclops’s tough skin was slashed.
If it weren’t for its tenacious vitality as a high-ranking Demonic Beast, it would’ve died long ago.
As Leo leisurely watched the fight—
Whoosh—!
Something flew toward Leo.
He turned to see the crowd jeering.
“What’s your problem!”
“Everyone else is fighting hard, and you’re just watching!”
“You cowardly rabbit!”
All nine were busy fighting the Cyclops, but Leo alone was just standing there, which set off the crowd.
Beastmen, who prized strength, hated cowardice more than anything.
As Leo scratched his head at their reaction—
Gwoooooh!
Suddenly, the Cyclops charged straight at Leo.
Reaching him, it raised its massive hand.
Leo sighed lightly and raised his Aura.
—
‘That rabbit brat!’
Zap—!
At the front line, Ar glared at Leo behind her.
The other candidates did the same.
To them, Leo looked completely indifferent as he watched the fight, and that didn’t sit well.
‘Totally disappointing!’
Ar, who had liked Leo quite a bit, let her cat ears droop.
The other candidates felt the same annoyance.
“That coward! I can’t stand him!”
“Let’s really teach him a lesson!”
Some beastmen wore malicious smiles.
Then, they deliberately pushed the Cyclops toward Leo, who was standing defenseless.
Having been hunted one-sidedly by nine people, the Cyclops spotted Leo standing alone and charged without hesitation.
Gwooooooh!
A menacing light filled the Cyclops’s eyes as it locked onto Leo.
Whoosh—!
The Cyclops reached Leo and raised its hand.
Ar jumped up in alarm.
‘What are you doing? Dodge or fight back! If you don’t, you’ll get—’
Boom—!
The crowd and the other candidates stared in shock.
With one swing of his fist, Leo not only shattered the Cyclops’s arm but blew it apart.
In a single blow, Leo instantly killed the Cyclops—a display that sent chills down everyone’s spine.
“Oooooooh…!”
“Waaaaaaaaaah!”
A deafening roar erupted.
Ar’s eyes went wide too.
Not because Leo had taken down the Cyclops in a single strike.
That was something Ar herself could do—so it wasn’t surprising.
The real reason she was shocked—
‘Just now…!’
Only Ar, who was facing Leo head-on, had noticed the change in Leo’s body.
With an expression of disbelief, Ar stared at Leo, who hurriedly covered his right eye.
‘No doubt about it… just now, he transformed!’