Chapter 27
The boys, now changed into their gym clothes, headed to the training ground.
Besides Class 5, there were other classes in the vast training ground.
All classes with overlapping Combat Studies gathered there.
Of course, thanks to the enormous size of the grounds, there was no risk of overlapping activity areas.
Standing before the cluster of students on the dirt field was Professor Sena.
Harrid observed Sena’s class from behind.
“In Combat Studies, you’ll train to apply your abilities in various ways. Any questions?”
Eliana raised her hand.
“Yes, Eliana?”
“What exactly does it mean to train in applying abilities? Is it different from what we do in our major classes?”
“It is. Shall we use magic as an example? Eliana, please make a Fireball.”
Eliana, who aimed for a dual class as a Magic Swordsman, easily formed a fist-sized Fireball.
“Now! How would you apply that Fireball to maximize its efficiency?”
“Um! First, I’d inject more Mana into the spell structure. Then, if I add a damage-boosting formula and a spell-duplication formula—”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Fireball grew larger and then split into two.
“Like this, I can maximize the Fireball’s efficiency!”
“Is that all?”
“Yes? Um… Well, maybe add another formula…”
As Eliana grew flustered, Professor Sena smiled kindly.
“That’s fine. Next, Chelsea?”
“Yes, Professor.”
“Can you think of another way to maximize the Fireball’s efficiency?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t think of anything besides what Eliana said.”
“Alright, next…”
The magic majors began to avoid eye contact.
If even the top magic student couldn’t answer, how could the rest?
“Leo?”
“Yes.”
“How would you maximize the efficiency of the Fireball?”
“Control. Even if you increase the power, you need to be able to hit for it to be efficient.”
“Correct! Five points to Leo for the question.”
The students looked defeated at such a simple answer.
“When training your abilities, most of you focus more on increasing power than on control. That’s why most students are poor at controlling their abilities.”
At her words, the students looked puzzled.
How could they be poor at control when they used their abilities every day?
“Here’s a challenge.”
Professor Sena summoned Sylph, the spirit of wind.
“If anyone can capture this Sylph, I’ll give you bonus points. You can use all your abilities.”
The students eagerly tried to catch the Sylph.
But despite not moving particularly fast or generating strong winds, no one could catch it.
The Sylph slipped through every grasp with godlike movements.
Soon, several students attacked at once, but they still failed.
“Huff—! Huff! Maybe that’s not even a Sylph!”
Carr Thomas lay sprawled on the ground, gasping.
“Whew! Then what is it?”
Chelsea, sitting down, asked back.
“How should I know?!”
As the Sylph hovered with its hands on its hips, looking smug—
Whoosh—!
Aura of flames surged forth.
Leo, who had been still, charged at the Sylph.
The Sylph tried to flee with a relaxed expression.
Leo picked up speed, closing the distance and reaching out.
The Sylph dodged with a swish.
Flames erupted from the back of Leo’s hand, blocking the Sylph’s escape route.
As if anticipating this, the Sylph circled in midair.
But a wall-shaped Aura instantly transformed into ropes, chasing the Sylph.
The Sylph, caught off guard, panicked.
It suddenly sped up and escaped high into the sky before the ropes could wrap around it.
“Hey, Sylph! That’s against the rules!”
At Sena’s words, the Sylph made an apologetic face.
It seemed to have used more power than allowed, startled by the situation.
“Still, well done, Leo.”
Sena applauded.
“As you just saw, Leo didn’t use much strength. Combat Studies trains you to apply your abilities like this in real battle.”
The students of Class 5 could now understand Sena’s point about lacking control.
Harrid, watching from behind, let out a small laugh.
‘No wonder Ain was drooling over him.’
When it came to Aura control, Leo was expected to be unrivaled among the first-years.
“How inelegant.”
Crackle—!
With the sound of sparks, a flash of golden Aura surged and covered the Sylph.
Thud—!
The Sylph was caught with a single hand before it could even react.
Smack—!
The male student, Duran, landed on the ground and glared at Leo.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
“As expected from Duran! Superb skills befitting the top student!”
“You flatter me,” Duran replied to the middle-aged professor.
“Oh my? That’s odd, isn’t it? Harrid, the most respected professor at Lumene—none of your students could catch the Sylph, but a student from our Class 1 caught it easily.”
Harrid looked at the flamboyantly dressed middle-aged professor with a weary face.
“Ah! Come to think of it, Class 5 was the one with the lowest average, right? Oh dear, I must have made a rude remark by mistake.”
“Aren’t you going to teach, Sedgen?”
Harrid sighed at Professor Sedgen, who was making an exaggerated apology.
“Of course! I’m here to teach!”
Professor Sedgen spread his arms wide.
“Class 1 and Class 5! I’m proposing an inter-class competition! You won’t run away, will you? Of course, I won’t blame you if you do! Our elegant Class 1 has not one, not two, but three top students! Hahahaha!”
Pointing to the three students at the front of Class 1, including Duran, Professor Sedgen laughed cheerfully.
Leo spoke to two of those students.
“Hello, elegant and lovely students of Class 1.”
Celia and Chloe, who had been hanging their heads, looked up and glared at Leo with terrifying eyes.
Of course, Leo wasn’t the type to flinch at something like that.
“Professor, why is that professor acting like that?” Chelsea asked, looking bewildered.
“That’s Professor Sedgen. He started his teaching career at the same time as Professor Harrid,” Sena replied.
“Professor Sedgen is just as famous as Professor Harrid, isn’t he?”
“He’s renowned as the top professor at Lumene.”
Unlike Harrid, who was notorious, Sedgen was a teacher many students hoped to learn from.
Still, among alumni, the most respected professor was Harrid, with Sedgen ranked second.
That was why, as Sena explained, Sedgen harbored a strong rivalry with Harrid.
After the explanation, Class 5 students watched Sedgen provoke Harrid with all kinds of taunts.
‘Professor Harrid doesn’t even bat an eye.’
‘Professor Sedgen almost looks pitiful.’
They watched Sedgen, who kept hounding Harrid despite being ignored, until Sena finally intervened.
“Professor Sedgen, since this is our first class, an impromptu inter-class competition might be a bit…”
“Oh! Sena Tillia—ah, I mean, Assistant Professor Sena!”
Professor Sedgen spread his arms and approached Sena.
“It’s been so long! I was so worried about you! Seeing you’ve become an assistant professor fills me with pride!”
“Thank you for your concern,” Sena replied, greeting him with an awkward smile.
“Anyway, Assistant Professor Sena! It doesn’t matter if it’s the first class! As Lumene students, unexpected situations can arise at any time!”
“Still…”
“Our proud Class 1 students are always ready for an inter-class competition! Isn’t that right?”
“That’s right!”
“Elegance as always!”
Satisfied, Sedgen beamed, while Carr Thomas snickered and walked over to Class 1.
With his unique sociability, he teased the Class 1 students he’d gotten friendly with during the temporary class period.
“Truly elegant, Class 1 students!”
“Do you want to die?”
“Stop messing around.”
Several Class 1 students, including Celia and Chloe, growled at Carr.
But Carr kept teasing.
“So, what event are we doing for this competition?”
“Hahaha! As expected, you don’t run away! Are you sure about this? Your class is certain to lose!”
“I’m not interested in winning or losing,” Harrid said in a flat voice.
“The important thing is that, regardless of the outcome, the students learn something.”
“Then your students will learn what defeat feels like!”
“If they learn to overcome defeat, that’s fine. And…”
Harrid smirked.
“On the other hand, they might learn the composure of the victor.”
The students of Class 5 looked moved as they watched Harrid respond so smoothly.
“Sena was right after all!”
“He may talk tough, but our homeroom professor must really care about us!”
“We respect you, Professor!”
Sedgen flashed a cruel smile.
“Alright. Then let’s make a bet. The losing class has to clean the first-year classroom building’s bathrooms for a month. And the losing class’s professor will buy drinks for the winners!”
“That’s fine.”
A scream erupted from Class 5.
“Aaaagh!”
“I can’t believe he just accepted that!”
“Um, beautiful ladies?”
After all his teasing, Carr Thomas began to sweat nervously.
“Even if we’re friends, you’ll go easy on us, right? Maybe settle for a tie?”
“We’re going to win. No matter what,” Celia said coldly, sweeping her hair back.
“That’s right, elegantly,” Chloe said, cracking her knuckles with a wicked grin.
“Leo! Chelsea! I’m counting on you! Save our class!”
Carr immediately put on a pitiful face and clung to Leo and Chelsea.
The only students in Class 5 who could stand up to the top students were class representative Leo and western entrance exam runner-up Chelsea.
“I don’t plan on losing.”
“Of course. A mage of House Lewellin doesn’t learn things like defeat.”
Leo replied nonchalantly, and Chelsea crossed her arms with a confident huff.
“So, what event will decide the winner?”
“Hehehe! There’s a traditional event in Lumene’s Combat Studies, isn’t there?”
At Harrid’s question, Sedgen gave a meaningful smile.
“So it’s that, after all,” Harrid sighed softly.
Tension began to rise between Classes 5 and 1.
“No way… that one?”
“To think we’d have to do it ourselves.”
“I’ve done it before.”
The students swallowed dryly.
Only Leo looked puzzled.
“Is it that intense?”
“It’s no joke. It’s an official event even in inter-academy matches with the other Hero Academies,” Chelsea said, her voice tense.
If it was the pride of the school and an official match event, it had to be fierce.
Clap—!
Professor Sedgen clapped his hands, and the assistant professor from Class 1 handed him something.
It was a transparent ball, about the size of a fist.
“One of Lumene Combat Studies’ traditions! We’ll settle this with Bastera!”
‘After all that serious build-up, we’re just playing with a ball?’ Leo thought, dumbfounded.