Chapter 262
Leo stared down at the dwarf looking up at him with an incredulous expression.
‘A nude model?’
It was absurd.
“What nonsense is that? And who are you?”
“My name is Driana! The greatest artist Dwernonia has ever produced!”
‘Here we go. Dweno.’
For a dwarf, being told they resembled Dweno—when speaking to Leo, the reincarnation of the great hero Kyle who saved the world alongside him—was probably an immeasurable honor.
But to Leo, the name Dweno was synonymous with “pervert.”
How could it not be?
He was a self-proclaimed devotee of beauty, a weirdo more interested in crafting beautiful works of art than in forging weapons.
This dwarf, introducing herself as Driana, was remarkably similar to that side of Dweno.
Driana spread her arms wide, forming a rectangle by touching the tips of her thumbs and index fingers together. She closed one eye and peered at Leo through the frame.
“Snow-white hair. Ruby-like eyes. A handsome boy, but with a certain depth beyond his years.”
Driana’s face lit up with satisfaction.
“If I made you my model, I could create a truly magnificent masterpiece.”
Hearing her words, Leo nodded once—then walked away without hesitation.
The best way to deal with a pervert was to avoid them entirely.
Especially if they were the same breed of dwarf as Dweno—there was no chance they’d speak the same language.
Startled by his cold reaction, Driana hurried after him.
“Wait, hold on! Of course I’m not asking you to do it for free.”
With the height difference between humans and dwarves, Leo’s long strides forced Driana to scurry after him in quick little steps.
“You’re a student of Lumene, right? You came to Damienne this time because of your exclusive smith, didn’t you?”
Driana smiled brightly.
“I’ll be your personal smith! I may not look it, but—oh! Hey! Stop!”
But her cries only echoed uselessly as Leo sped away at full tilt.
After losing her, Leo stopped in the middle of the street and glanced back.
‘What a strange one I’ve gotten tangled up with.’
He clicked his tongue, recalling the peculiar look in Driana’s eyes.
‘From what she said, she’s probably a student of Damienne.’
As a smith, her abilities were unknown, but judging from the aura she exuded, she was certainly formidable.
“She seemed about my age. A dwarf that skilled at my age would definitely be a Damienne student.”
Leo was just thinking he might run into her again at Damienne when—
“Leo!”
Carr’s urgent voice rang out.
“What’s going on?”
Seeing Leo’s puzzled expression, Carr shouted, pale-faced.
“It’s bad! Really bad! There’s a fight between our school and Azonia!”
“What? Why?”
“They kidnapped Chloe!”
Leo frowned.
“Why would Azonia’s students kidnap Chloe?”
“How should I know?! Anyway, as soon as they heard, Celia, Chen Xia, and Duran stormed Azonia’s temporary lodgings and are raising hell!!”
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
Each hero academy had a code that symbolized their school.
Lumene’s was to challenge your limits and surpass them.
Seiren’s was to be loftier and nobler than anyone.
Damienne’s was to possess an unyielding, steel-like will.
And Azonia’s…
‘Struggle.’
To attain ultimate strength through constant struggle—that was Azonia’s creed.
Ar had once told Leo:
“Azonia never mocks defeat. Even if you lose, if you fight again, it’s not defeat—you’re praised as a brave warrior.”
She’d snorted proudly.
“But if you run from battle after losing once, you’re branded a coward.”
Her eyes had gleamed then.
“Lord Arron never once ran away!”
‘Arron ran more than anyone.’
Recalling that, Leo spoke.
“Looks like we need to find Chloe first.”
“Right. But in this huge city, finding her won’t be easy—”
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!
A massive ice pillar suddenly shot up not far from where they stood.
Carr’s mouth opened and closed silently.
“Found her.”
Leo chuckled and headed toward the ice pillar.
A crowd had gathered around the scene.
“What’s going on?”
“This is the inn the beastkin were coming in and out of earlier.”
The dwarves looked on in fascination.
Even with a large-scale magic spell cast right in the middle of the city, the spectators remained unfazed.
“They say accidents happen here all the time because of weapon-making.”
As they approached, Carr shook his head at the dwarves’ calm reactions.
Dwernonia was the world’s largest producer of magical tools.
Known as a race of artisans, dwarves constantly experimented with new things, so magical mishaps were commonplace.
‘No wonder Professor Len begged to come here.’
Thinking of Len, Carr pushed through the crowd of dwarves.
“Excuse me. Coming through.”
With most of them barely reaching his chest, pushing past wasn’t easy.
‘It’s like trying to get through a wall of boulders.’
Dwarves were naturally blessed with great strength—Carr’s legs were starting to ache.
“What are you doing?”
Carr looked up and groaned when he saw Leo floating overhead with Fly Magic.
“Sometimes it’s depressing how often Chelsea’s right.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s always calling me an idiot.”
With a bitter smile, Carr used Fly Magic to reach the front.
CLANG—SCRAPE—SCRAPE—
CRACK—!
Just then, the inn door swung open and Chloe stepped out.
“Hmph! As if they could.”
“Could’ve told me you were fine. I wouldn’t have worried.”
Carr grumbled, and Chloe smiled.
“Want me to turn you into a popsicle like those guys?”
At her words, Carr ducked behind Leo.
“I heard you were kidnapped, so I was worried. Glad you’re safe.”
“Kidnapped? Hardly. I just followed them quietly to avoid making a scene.”
Chloe scoffed.
Leo smiled at her.
“Still, I’d worry.”
Catching his smile, Chloe looked startled for a moment, then turned away, fanning her face.
“Oh? Oh? Has our cold Ice Queen become a shy princess—”
“You want to be frozen?”
CRACK—
“Mercy! Have mercy!”
As frost gathered menacingly in Chloe’s hand, Carr panicked.
Leo spoke to them.
“Carr, go tell our students Chloe’s fine.”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to Azonia’s lodgings.”
“No, Leo. Anyone else maybe, but if you go there now, it’ll be trouble.”
“Why?”
“Azonia’s put a bounty on you.”
“A bounty?”
“Yeah.”
Chloe hadn’t gone with Wern just to avoid a street fight or to infiltrate their base—it was because Azonia had used her as bait to lure Leo in.
Azonia’s straightforward recklessness was famous even in Lumene.
Chloe had heard plenty from her seniors in the Magic Department and knew their temperament well.
Even so, using bait to target a second-year representative wasn’t normal—it could easily escalate from a student duel to a school conflict.
‘Not that it hasn’t already.’
She glanced back at the inn.
‘I did nothing wrong.’
She’d simply turned some arrogant beastkin into popsicles.
‘Yep. Definitely self-defense.’
Still, they were willing to risk that much just to fight Leo.
And when she nudged Wern a bit, he’d blurted out exactly why.
“The principal of Azonia promised that whoever defeats you first will get the right to challenge the Hero’s World.”
“The Hero’s World?”
Carr’s eyes widened.
“If that’s the prize, they’re more interested in you than any exclusive smith contract.”
“I’m still going. Three of our people are having the time of their lives over there. I need to bring them back.”
“Three?”
Chloe tilted her head.
“Celia, Chen Xia, and Duran went to Azonia’s lodgings to rescue you.”
“Ah…!”
Chloe looked flustered.
“Then I’ll go—”
“No. You go show yourself to our people and calm them down.”
“You sure you can go alone?”
Seeing Carr’s worried look, Leo smirked.
“Don’t worry. I know how to handle beastkin.”
“How?”
Leo raised his left hand and clenched it into a fist.
“No way…”
“That’s right.”
Leo’s smile turned cold.
“With fists.”
—
CRACKLE—!
Lightning Aura roared from Duran’s body.
A massive beastkin swung a huge greatsword at him.
FLASH—! KRAK-KRAK-KRAK!
Lightning from Duran’s longsword shocked the Azonia student.
“Oh? You’ve got spirit for a human! So the rumors of Lumene’s golden generation weren’t lies! Hah! This is exciting!”
The tiger beastkin, half a head taller than Duran, swished his long tail.
“But it’s a shame. You and I aren’t a good match.”
Azonia’s second-year fifth rank, Borman, smirked.
“My Aura attribute is Armament.”
His body turned to steel.
“If your friends’ Aura was fire or water, maybe—but lightning? All it does is get absorbed.”
CRACKLE—
Lightning surged along Borman’s sword, flowing into him like a lightning rod.
He gathered it and sent it back at Duran.
CRACKLE—!
Golden sparks exploded over Duran’s body.
Ssss—
Smoke rose from him.
Expressionless, Duran leveled his sword.
Borman looked impressed.
“It’s been a while since my blood boiled.”
Resting his greatsword on his shoulder, Borman narrowed his eyes.
“But you’re at your limit already. And with bad compatibility, why not leave the rest to your friends?”
“Who are you calling a friend?”
Duran gave his signature cynical smile.
“What?”
“They’re enemies to be cut down.”
Borman looked baffled.
“So Lumene does ‘struggle’ like we do?”
“Hmph. You think we’d bother with something so brainless?”
Duran sneered.
Nearby, an Azonia girl spoke.
“You’re not going to stop him?”
A fox beastkin girl strolled over, bringing her tail between her legs and sitting on it like a chair, grooming the tip.
“That idiot’s just a brute. If he gets worked up and goes all out, that handsome guy with bad compatibility will be in trouble.”
Celia ran a hand through her hair.
“Brutes meeting brutes.”
“That guy doesn’t seem like a brute to me.”
Ruewen tilted her head.
Chen Xia laughed.
“Duran is the most brainless among our Knight Department peers.”
“If your opponent is making a fool of themselves, you just cut them down and win easily—but he insists on matching their recklessness. Pathetic.”
Celia scoffed.
Ruewen looked at Duran.
Borman, with his Aura that turned his whole body into steel, was lightning’s natural enemy.
‘And yet he’s still pushing?’
Borman narrowed his eyes.
“You’d better get help from your rivals.”
“Hmph. Chen Xia might meddle—she likes to act like the elder.”
“Oh, but I am older than you, Duran.”
Chen Xia muttered.
“But even if it got truly dangerous, she wouldn’t help me.”
Duran’s smile turned icy.
“My pride wouldn’t allow it.”
“Impressive.”
Borman grinned.
“Makes me want to beat you even more. I’m glad to meet a good opponent before facing Leo Plov.”
“Foolish words.”
“What?”
“You lot don’t care about anyone but Leo Plov.”
Borman thought of him only as an appetizer before Leo.
Normally, that would annoy Duran. But—
“I understand. He’s worth it.”
This time, he wasn’t offended.
In fact—
“That’s why I’m looking forward to it.”
His arrogant gaze met Borman’s.
“To see just how far into the abyss you’ll fall without knowing who Leo Plov really is.”
Duran looked around at the Azonia students.
“Hmph. A strong opponent is always welcome. We are the heirs of Hero Arron.”
Borman scoffed.
“An overwhelming foe is welcome. But it seems you’ve already felt despair before Leo Plov. I thought you might be a warrior like us. But to be a coward afraid of overwhelming strength—pathetic!”
Duran neither flinched nor lashed out.
‘Yes. I despaired.’
CRACKLE—
‘Because I can see it.’
CRACKLE—
‘The more I struggle…’
FLASH—!
‘…the wider the gap grows between us.’
“You don’t get it.”
GRAB—!
“…?”
Duran reached out and gripped Borman’s face.
‘I may never surpass him. But—’
CRACKLE-CRACKLE-CRACKLE!
‘You think I’ll give up?’
“GRAAAAH!”
Sparks flared violently from Duran’s body.
Veins bulged.
But he grinned.
“Cutting down an arrogant fool full of openings is easy. Do you know why I still chose to fight you with Aura?”
He spoke to the unconscious Borman, eyes rolled back.
“To show you what class looks like.”
THUD—!
Borman collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
If he’d fought seriously, he wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation.
But he paid the price for underestimating his opponent.
“Courage and recklessness are different, self-proclaimed heir of the Hero.”
As Duran scoffed—
“That guy’s something else. Doesn’t know how to give up. Tenacious.”
Celia smirked at him.
“Duran won’t give up. And you’re the same, Celia—you’ll keep chasing him, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“When you say ‘him,’ you mean Leo Plov, right?”
Ruewen tilted her head.
“He must be really amazing?”
“That word doesn’t do him justice. Watch him long enough and it’s exhausting. You might never catch up, no matter how hard you try.”
Chen Xia smiled brightly.
“Still, not giving up takes great willpower.”
You could tell just from Duran how strong they were.
‘Leo Plov must be a monster beyond imagination.’
“I thought a hero’s courage was the sole domain of beastkin, but I guess not.”
At Ruewen’s words, Chen Xia smiled.
“Maybe our mindset is a little different from courage.”
“Yes.”
“The Hero is your people’s great champion. I’ve admired him since I was little and still do, but I think there’s someone else we humans should learn from.”
“Ah.”
Ruewen realized who she meant.
“The Hero of the Beginning.”
“Yes. The Founder once told me…”
Chen Xia looked at Duran.
“When the impossible battle began, it was Lord Arron who showed the most courage. In endless battles, it was Dweno’s weapons we could always trust. The one who led us to victory on impossible battlefields was Lysinas’ wisdom. And the one who turned the tide of disadvantage was himself.”
Ruewen’s eyes widened.
The Descent of the Founder—still a legendary event across the continent.
“And—”
Celia glanced over her shoulder with a teasing grin.
“The one who never gave up was Lord Kyle. You didn’t hear that, did you?”
“Luna said that?”
Ruewen looked shocked as Leo appeared out of nowhere.
‘When did he get here?’
“Yeah. We all heard it. Jealous?”
Celia snickered.
Leo gave a wry smile.
‘So that fool actually said that?’
“If Azonia’s hero candidates carry on Lord Arron’s legacy, then Lumene’s hero candidates should carry on Lord Kyle’s.”
Chen Xia turned to Leo with a warm smile.
“We’ll never give up. We’ll keep chasing after you, Young Master Leo.” (T/N: Well said! Damn!)