Chapter 323
Rumble—!
A pillar of fire shot up, piercing the sky.
Shaaah—!
Celia, who was thrown back, hastily drove [Flame Storm] into the ground to steady herself.
Seeing Leo approaching with [Lancea] in hand, Celia clenched her teeth.
‘He barely had any time to get used to [Lancea]….’
Weapons with immense power were difficult to handle. If one wasn’t careful, the weapon could end up controlling the wielder instead.
It had taken Celia a long time to properly master [Flame Storm].
‘But Leo managed it in just a few days….’
Celia gripped her sword tightly.
‘Now that I think about it… Leo’s always been like that since the very beginning.’
His swordsmanship that had overwhelmed her.
His physical prowess.
His instinctive mastery of [Aura] and his ability to wield the [Zerdinger Flames] in an instant.
Among the second-years, she was the one who had fought Leo the longest.
‘We’ve trained together for so long.’
Because of that, Celia knew better than anyone the difference between her and Leo.
She gritted her teeth.
‘I’ve never once thought I wanted to fight him seriously.’
Because every time, the gap became painfully clear.
The more she tried to close it, the more she realized how unreachable it was.
Other than their first meeting, she had never once felt true competitiveness toward him.
She had never given up on catching up, but—deep down—she had already felt small before him.
She was a top student worthy of her family name. But that was all.
And now, in front of so many witnesses—Leo had challenged her seriously.
‘I can’t back down.’
Fwoosh—!
Flames flared from Celia’s body.
The tip of her rapier ignited.
‘[Prominence].’
From the start, Celia unleashed her full power.
[Flame Storm] roared, spitting out fierce fire. It was the heirloom of the Zerdinger family—the will of the Phoenix embodied in a blade of flame.
As long as the user’s will burned bright, the sword would never break, rust, or dull.
Swish—!
A sharp sound split the air as her sword cut through the void, sending a blazing blade of flame flying toward Leo.
Leo spun [Lancea].
Whum—! Whumwhumwhumwhum! Kwooooom!
The rapidly spinning spear wrapped around Celia’s flames.
Fwoooosh—!
[Lancea] burned even brighter.
Celia’s expression froze.
‘My strongest attack…!’
“Flames are always devoured by stronger flames, Celia.”
Celia clenched her teeth.
“Especially when you’re wielding the ‘same’ flame.”
The [Zerdinger Flames]—
and the one who had forged a pact with their origin, the [Phoenix] itself.
As Leo closed in, Celia instinctively stepped back.
“Well, the biggest reason is probably this.”
Fwoosh—
Flames flared from Leo’s body.
“You already think you can’t win.”
“S-shut up! I don’t!”
Flaring up, Celia adjusted her grip and charged.
Shiiik—!
She drew a small dagger from her waist—her [Parrying Dagger], her chosen secondary weapon.
As a knight who specialized in wide-range flame attacks, Celia already had powerful offensive capability.
Leo had once recommended the parrying dagger to her—to strengthen her close-quarters techniques.
Clang—!
Celia deflected Leo’s thrust with her dagger and aimed for his neck.
Whoosh—!
Leo twisted, dodging her strike, and stepped inside her guard.
Clang—!
Leo also drew a parrying dagger.
The two short blades clashed at close range.
“Kh!”
Allowing Leo into melee range, Celia gritted her teeth and gripped her rapier tighter.
Dropping [Lancea], Leo grabbed her wrist that held [Flame Storm].
“Giving up easily isn’t like you.”
“Who said I’m giving up?!”
Celia flared her [Aura].
The sudden burst of energy sent Leo flying back.
Just then, blades of wind flew toward him.
Leo raised his hand, [Aura] surging, and spun in place.
Kwagagagagagak—!
The wind blades ricocheted off his hand and scattered.
Fwoosh—!
As he stopped spinning, Leo turned around.
Tap—!
“Wow! Wow! As expected of you, Leo! You’re amazing!”
Chelsea exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
Gritting her teeth, Celia shouted.
“Chelsea! This isn’t the time to play around! This is an exam!”
Startled, Chelsea protested.
“I—I’m not taking it lightly, okay?!”
“Then fight seriously! There’s no way that flimsy magic will work on Leo!”
“What? Flimsy?! You little—!”
As Chelsea snapped back at Celia’s unusually sharp tone—
Swish—!
Leo’s fingertips pointed at Chelsea.
Vwooom—!
A surge of powerful mana erupted.
Hwaaahhh!
“Ugh?!”
A fierce gust swept over her, forcing Chelsea to shut her eyes.
‘Wind magic!’
She hurried to respond, but—
Kwagagagagagagak—!
A violent whirlwind surrounded her.
“[Wind Storm].”
Seeing Leo complete the spell instantly, Chelsea felt chills down her spine.
‘Fast chant?!’
Fast chanting—her own specialty.
And the spell he’d cast was a high-tier one.
Chelsea quickly cast [Dispel], soared into the air, and barely escaped the storm.
“Chelsea!”
Celia, pale-faced, called out.
“……!”
Chelsea too looked pale as she faced Leo.
Leo kicked off the ground toward her.
“[Wind Shield]!”
Boom—!
Wind clashed with wind, producing a deafening sonic blast.
Fwoooosh—!
The shockwave flattened the grass and tore through the ground.
“Uaaaah!”
“What’s happening?!”
Students assaulting Glory’s fortress screamed as the storm hit them.
Crash—!
“Something’s flying in!”
“Is it artillery?!”
Through the dust, they saw someone slammed into the wall.
It was Chelsea.
“Gasp!”
“Ch-Chelsea!”
Harmony students rushed to her side.
At that moment—
“Gwaaaah!”
“Leo’s coming!”
They froze as Leo shot toward Chelsea like a bullet.
Then—
Swish—!
A spear flew in and blocked him.
“Haul!”
It was Haul Neif, a top-ranked knight student.
His spear, coated with poison aura, slithered like a serpent as he threatened Leo.
Leo smiled.
“Nice. You look just like a knight guarding his king.”
With a stiff expression, Haul swung his spear.
Whirr—!
“Celia’s quite the tactician, isn’t she?”
Balanced in both strategy and combat—the ideal image of a Zerdinger heir.
“Chloe told me,” Leo said with a faint smile.
“She said if Celia were the commander, she’d make Chelsea the King—because she’s the fastest and hardest to catch in chaos.”
Sending Chelsea to the frontlines had been a ploy to hide that fact.
“Judging from your reaction, I’m right.”
Leo chuckled and swung [Lancea] behind him.
Clang—!
[Flame Storm] and [Lancea] crossed, sparks flying.
Haul used that opening to lunge at Leo.
Swish—!
Like a snake striking its prey, his spear weaved unpredictably toward Leo.
Boom—!
Leo kicked the spear aside.
“Kh!”
Haul was thrown back.
At the same time, Leo drove his fist—burning with [Flame Aura]—into Celia’s abdomen.
Bang!
“Guh!”
Celia’s body bent backward as she was sent flying.
Leo’s eyes turned toward Chelsea.
The Harmony students supporting her shrieked.
“Run! Run!”
“Protect Chelsea!”
“Chelsea, get out of here!”
If the King fell, Harmony would be eliminated instantly.
Students charged at Leo.
Celia staggered up, gritting her teeth.
‘To think we’d be pushed this far from the start….’
Even if Chelsea’s identity as King had been discovered, this situation was beyond what she’d imagined.
Choosing Chelsea as King had been logical—
her mobility and ability to escape even the worst crises made her ideal.
Even Walden and Celia together would struggle to catch her.
That’s why she’d been chosen.
But now—
‘What ‘is’ he?!’
Celia’s teeth clenched.
Leo’s power was beyond expectation.
‘He said I thought I couldn’t win?’
Her hands trembled.
‘No… I’ve never… never thought that…!’
Her eyes wavered.
“Celia!”
Haul’s urgent voice snapped her back.
“Leo’s after Chelsea! We have to stop him!”
“Got it!”
Ignoring the pain in her stomach, Celia sprang up and chased after Leo.
The Harmony students protecting Chelsea were swept aside like leaves.
Chelsea, staring at the approaching Leo, clenched her jaw and gathered mana.
‘Taking it lightly? Me? No way! I just… I just…’
Her frustration built—but she was swallowed by the storm Leo unleashed.
Leo’s wind magic completely overpowered her.
Rolling across the ground, Chelsea looked up.
Leo approached calmly, his spear resting on his shoulder. His face was expressionless.
A chill ran down her spine.
Now she understood what Celia had meant by “taking it lightly.”
And she recalled Harrid’s words.
‘Will you keep chasing their backs—or will you walk your own path?’
Those words echoed in her mind.
Kwagagagak—!
Another storm swept toward her.
Barely dodging, Chelsea stared at Leo with trembling eyes.
She had never once seen him as an opponent—
only as the hero from a storybook.
Someone she admired.
Someone she wanted to watch from afar.
Never someone to stand beside.
But today, for the first time, she realized just how vast the distance between them had become.
She couldn’t even see him anymore.
Even if she reached out—she wouldn’t touch him.
‘What should I… do…?’
Her eyes shook.
“Chelsea?”
A familiar voice reached her.
“Brother.”
She turned to see Abad, his expression hard, his eyes filled with concern.
As he met her gaze, Abad raised his mana.
Kwagagagak—!
He deflected Leo’s magic and shouted.
“Celia!”
Celia had already reached Leo’s back, her [Flame Aura] blazing.
“I don’t like working with you.”
Flames danced in her eyes.
“But this is the only way!”
Fwoooosh—!
Fire and wind—
the most powerful combination among the second-years—united.
“[Prominence]!”
“[Tempest]!”
Their powers merged, forming a massive storm of fire.
Raising her sword high, Celia shouted.
“Prepare yourself, Leo!”
Leo’s [Aura] and mana surged in response.
Fwoosh! Whoooo—!
A fiery storm formed in his hand as well.
“Haaaaaah!”
Celia roared and swung [Flame Storm] at him.
Kwooooom—!
The storms collided, consuming everything around them.
—
When the flames finally cleared—
Chelsea stared blankly ahead.
“Chelsea.”
Abad gave a faint, pained smile and reached out to pat her head.
“Brother…”
“It’s about time… you learned to soar too, don’t you think?”
Smiling bitterly, Abad vanished as he died.
Thunk—!
[Lancea], still impaled in his back, fell to the ground.
Celia’s trembling hands gripped [Flame Storm].
Her palms bled and burned, but she held firm, blocking Leo’s attack.
“You said you never thought you couldn’t win, right?”
Leo pressed down.
As long as its wielder’s will burned, the sword was unbreakable—
Crack—! Fwoosh—
But under Leo’s strength, [Flame Storm] shattered and scattered as embers.
Celia’s face twisted.
“Even now?”
At his merciless question, the battered Celia stumbled back.
The light on her bracelet went out.
“Chelsea.”
Celia turned her head toward her.
“Run.”
Fwoosh—!
And she, too, was judged dead and teleported away.
(T/N: Leo is not playing around anymore. I’m really glad we see this side of Leo.)