Chapter 320
ROOOOOAR—!
Seeing Leo emit gray [Aura], Duran tightened his grip on his sword.
‘All three of us… at once?’
Duran’s eyes narrowed.
‘Prove that we’re worthy to stand on the same stage as him?’
He couldn’t make sense of it.
But one thing was crystal clear.
‘You’re testing me… testing ‘us’, Leo Plov.’
From the moment they enrolled, Duran disliked Leo.
He was a complete unknown who beat out every promising student—including Duran—to become the class representative.
But before he even realized it, the guy he thought was beneath him had become the goal to chase.
Even running like mad, Leo’s back only grew more distant.
Until his fingers splintered. Until his arms felt like they would fall off.
He swung his sword—again, and again, and again.
His efforts brought immense growth, but he still couldn’t close the gap.
So he clung to pride and obsession.
He refused to give up and trained relentlessly to catch up with Leo Plov.
CRACKLE—!
Golden currents surged ominously from Duran’s body.
“Walden Thaiden. Eliza Hergin.”
Duran turned toward them, golden light flashing in his eyes.
“Stay out of this.”
With those words, Duran stepped in front of Leo.
CRACKLE—
Ominous current swirled around him.
Voooom—!
Leo’s sword flared with gray [Aura].
Duran narrowed his eyes at the sight.
‘I know. You sometimes use that gray Aura instead of the Zerdinger flames.’
He recalled every time Leo had used it.
‘If Zerdinger fire is specialized for offense… then that gray Aura has outstanding balance—attack and defense alike.’
Leo’s swordsmanship was far more stable when using the gray Aura.
Duran knew.
Leo’s invitation to fight three-on-one was neither arrogance nor bluff.
It was confidence born of certainty.
That only made Duran hate the situation even more.
‘Your eyes have always annoyed me, Leo Plov.’
Golden sparks crackled in Duran’s pupils.
‘Those eyes that look only into the far distance, like nothing around you matters.’
He knew. Everyone chasing Leo knew.
Leo was looking far beyond them.
A place they couldn’t even see.
From a young age, Duran had earned everything with skill.
He was a prince of the Moira Kingdom, a nation of knights.
Though he seemed to lack for nothing, it took backbreaking effort to rise from third prince to crown prince.
He earned glory worthy of the grandfather who founded the kingdom.
And though he claimed the throne, he kept building strength to reach even higher.
Only the strong are worthy of more.
That’s why Duran acknowledged Leo.
A true powerhouse naturally paid no attention to others.
But…
‘I couldn’t help but burn with rage.’
Now, for the first time, Leo was looking at them.
And challenging them.
His intentions were unclear.
But—
‘I won’t follow your script.’
Even if he got destroyed in a one-on-one match right here.
Duran vowed he would not dance to Leo’s tune.
Seeing him, Leo smirked faintly.
CRACKLE—!
The moment the gray current erupted from Leo’s blade, Duran’s eyes widened.
“You…”
Duran’s face twisted as Leo lowered his stance.
FWIP—!
Leo shot toward Duran with incredible speed.
A trail of gray sparks followed in his wake.
CLANG—!
CRACKLE-CRACKLE!
Golden and gray lightning collided, tearing up the surroundings.
Leo’s [Mana] trait was [Pure].
A traitless form allowing him to wield all attributes freely.
CLANG! SLASH!
Their crossed blades clashed with force.
ZZZZZZZK—! THUD—
Duran was pushed back, his feet digging into the ground.
The power was terrifying.
Though Duran had the larger frame and height, Leo was the strongest second-year in raw physical strength.
Duran gritted his teeth and pushed Leo off.
CRACKLE—!
He summoned a [Greatsword] in his off-hand.
FWOOM—! CRACKLE—!
Lightning-cloaked, the sword roared as it swung.
FWOOSH—!
The swing cleaved through the air with thunderous speed.
Duran locked onto Leo landing atop the greatsword’s flat edge.
‘I predicted it!’
As Duran moved to inject [Aura] into his longsword—
CRACK!
“Ghh?!”
A burst of gray Aura from Leo’s hand paralyzed Duran’s body for an instant.
“Haaah!”
Duran shouted, shaking off Leo’s Aura with brute will.
FLASH! BOOOOM!
Lightning exploded around him.
WHOOSH—!
But Leo had already escaped the range with absurd speed.
“Leo… Plov!”
Duran tried to chase.
But while his attacks were stronger, Leo was faster.
Effortlessly outpacing Duran, Leo charged at Walden and Eliza.
“If you won’t fight as three, I’ll ‘make’ you fight as three.”
Watching him, Walden summoned a spirit.
[Spirit Armored].
A top-tier Spirit Art that armored the body with a spirit.
Leo stretched out his hand in response.
A low-tier water spirit condensed onto his palm.
Also [Spirit Armored].
But Walden wasn’t surprised.
He never assumed Leo couldn’t do the same things he could.
Walden readied his fist like loading a cannon.
CRACK—!
Empowered by water, Leo’s gray lightning went berserk.
Walden threw a punch—Leo answered with one of his own.
CLASH! BOOOM!
Their fists collided, leveling everything around them.
Walden’s body, armored in an earth spirit, endured Leo’s strike.
Leo raised his sword without hesitation.
“……!”
Walden’s face stiffened—Leo’s blade was faster than his retreat.
SLASH—!
A long cut slashed across Walden’s torso.
But he wasn’t defeated.
The Spirit Armor’s defense held.
Still, it was enough to push him back.
“Leo Plov!”
Duran had already caught up from behind.
Seeing him, Leo kicked off the ground.
CRACKLE—!
His next target was Eliza.
Eliza steeled herself and summoned her [Spirit Energy].
FWOOSH—!
Her Wind Wyvern picked her up and soared into the sky.
“Hmph.”
Leo exhaled lightly and swung his sword toward the threat at his back.
Both Walden and Duran had flanked him.
FLASH! BOOOOM!
Leo’s blade released a flash of gray.
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—!
Duran parried just in time.
CRACKLE—!
But he couldn’t block everything—he took a gash.
Duran’s face contorted.
‘His swordplay…!’
It wasn’t Leo’s usual style.
His blade radiated killing intent—it was sharper, more brutal.
Duran pulled back.
Walden dove in using his heavy build and slammed into Leo.
BOOOM—!
The sound echoed as Leo was knocked away.
Like a cannonball hitting point blank.
CRASH! FWOOOSH!
Leo was slammed into the lake.
Water erupted skyward.
Bubble-bubble-bubble—
Submerged, Leo opened his eyes.
A dolphin entered his vision.
[Delphinus].
Eliza’s summoned beast, known as the highest-tier Water Familiar.
Delphinus began circling Leo rapidly.
Its speed increased until a whirlpool formed.
WHOOOSH—!
A [Water Spout] rose.
“If you really want to fight all three of us at once, you’d better be ready, Leo Plov!”
Eliza growled fiercely.
CRACKLE—!
Duran raised his greatsword.
FLASH! BOOOOM!
Lightning struck his blade.
A massive golden sword, the size of the spout, formed in the air.
FWOOSH!
Walden summoned a water spirit and conjured a massive spear.
Eliza’s Wind Wyvern opened its jaws.
A fierce breath of wind gathered at its throat.
FLASH—!
FWOOSH!
ROOOAR—!
Three powerful attacks rained down on the spout that trapped Leo.
Leo summoned his [Mana].
FLASH—!
BOOM! SHATTER—!
The bloated waterspout exploded outward.
Lake water fell like rain over the entire area.
The lightning Aura meant to cut Leo—
The water spear meant to skewer him—
The breath meant to blow him away—
All disappeared like they never existed.
Leo wiped the blood from his mouth and looked up.
The three froze as chills ran down their spines.
For a moment, Leo’s eyes gleamed black—then turned red again.
—
“What just happened?”
“How did he erase all that?”
The audience murmured in confusion.
Even the first-years looked shocked.
“H-How…? That was clearly magic…”
Juen looked baffled.
And then—
“It’s Dragon Speech Magic.”
Mel smiled gently, explaining to the first-year Magic Department students.
All of them widened their eyes.
“Dragon Speech Magic?”
“But that kind of magic requires an understanding of Dragon Speech!”
Gasps echoed at the mention of the dragons’ unique spellcraft.
“Yes. And you all know, understanding the language is the real challenge.”
It was as difficult as [Star Magic].
While the first-years reeled in shock, Mel looked back to the screen.
‘That’s Lord Lysinas’s personal magic—[Nihil].’
A defensive spell that nullifies all.
‘He’s really fighting seriously against the second-years.’
—
‘I won’t be able to use magic again for a while.’
Casting [Nihil] had overloaded Leo’s magic circuits.
‘I can still handle Duran and Walden. But…’
Leo turned to Eliza.
She was now the biggest threat.
In a many-vs-one fight, a skilled beast summoner like Eliza was a nightmare.
Thanks to her powerful summons, she had firepower on par with a mage.
And on top of that, she could support the frontline.
Right now, Eliza was the most dangerous opponent.
FWOOSH—!
Leo summoned [Piora].
Piora landed gracefully on his forearm.
“Piora, suppress Eliza.”
“Peep.”
FWOOSH—!
With a graceful flap, Piora shot toward Eliza in a blaze.
Eliza snapped her whip tight.
‘Without the Phoenix, there’s no way even you can handle both Walden and Duran.’
As she narrowed her eyes at Leo—
They suddenly widened in shock.
Voooom—!
A summoning circle bloomed on Leo’s palm.
And as she recognized the emblem—
Eliza’s eyes filled with horror.
As a beast summoner, there was no mistaking that crest.
The summon it represented was—
‘A fairy…?!’
In that instant, a noble silver light burst from Leo’s palm.
And with it—an elegant, regal figure appeared.
The [Fairy], Kirran, had arrived.
(T/N: SHEEEEEEEESSSSHHHH!)