Chapter 39
“Ha! Serves them right!”
“What class rep? What southern top-ranker? Can’t even get past the starting line—they’re guaranteed dead last!”
The [Summoning Department] students who had ganged up laughed among themselves.
“Hey, Eliza. Doesn’t that feel satisfying?”
Ryu from Class 3, the student who had led the attack, snickered and called out to Eliza flying ahead.
They were currently among the top-ranked students in the first-year [Summoning Department] and were leading the race.
At Ryu’s words, Eliza, who was at the very front, replied.
“I don’t like it.”
“What?”
“I can beat Leo Plov anytime. Same goes for Walden Thaiden.”
Eliza glanced back at the students with sharp, disapproving eyes.
“If you gang up on them like that, it’ll only make Leo Plov and Walden Thaiden stand out more. And how do you think people will view the [Summoning Department]?”
“Haha… still, they got embarrassed pretty badly—”
“Next time, try thinking before you act. And this is still an exam. Focus.”
Eliza turned her head coldly and soared high into the air.
Watching her back, Ryu frowned.
‘Stuck-up bitch. Acting all noble just because she was born into a good family.’
Ryu scoffed inwardly.
‘Walden won’t be able to catch up at this rate anyway. Besides Eliza, I’m the best at handling flying [Summoned Beasts]! I’ve basically secured second place. And don’t forget—I’ve formed a new contract this time.’
He snorted through his nose.
Right before the exam, he’d luckily gotten a [Summoning Catalyst] in Lumeria City.
‘Some dumb merchant sold it without knowing its value! I can’t control it yet, but… if I summon that beast at the end and take down Eliza—first place is mine! Let’s see if you still act so noble then, Eliza!’
“Uh? Ryu, someone’s coming up behind us.”
A female [Summoning Department] student looked puzzled.
They thought they had a massive lead—but someone was closing the gap.
“What? Who—huh? Chen Xia?”
Chen Xia was soaring toward them at tremendous speed.
But her posture on the [Griffon] was strange.
Chen Xia crouched on the saddle, squatting with both feet planted.
“What the? What kind of position is that?”
“She kept up with that? Surprising.”
“She only caught up because we slowed down. If we accelerate, she won’t keep up.”
For a [Summoner], [Spirit Power] didn’t just control the [Summoned Beast]—it also enhanced them.
Since her [Griffon] was strengthened with [Spirit Power], it would be hard for Chen Xia to keep up in a pure speed race.
“No, who knows what kind of tricks she’s got.”
Ryu smirked.
“Let’s just eliminate her.”
In the [Summoned Beast] Race, cooperation was allowed.
That meant even ganging up on a strong competitor was fair play.
Eliza glanced behind her from the lead and narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Hmph. She should’ve just fled—why choose the hard route?”
With a smirk, Eliza watched like she was enjoying a show.
“What’s with that Eastern top-ranker? Annoying.”
A female [Summoning Department] student smiled viciously and summoned a [Spirit].
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t even finish the race! Go!”
The [Wind Spirit] turned into a projectile and shot toward Chen Xia, who stood precariously on the saddle.
Sensing it, Chen Xia lowered her stance even more.
Fwoosh—!
Her [Griffon] suddenly ascended sharply.
While the other students were caught off guard, her [Griffon] flipped midair so the saddle faced downward.
Hanging upside down from the [Griffon], Chen Xia kicked off the saddle and released the reins.
“W-What the hell!?”
The girl who attacked her screamed.
No one expected the rider to launch a direct attack.
Chen Xia used a [Wind Spirit] to adjust her midair trajectory and smiled as she launched a kick.
Before her opponent could react, Chen Xia struck her with a flying kick.
“Kyahhhhhhh! T-This is cheating!”
“I didn’t use [Aura], though.”
Chen Xia flashed her usual friendly smile, grabbed the reins of the now-riderless [Griffon], and calmed it.
“Tch! Chen Xia, you—!”
“Hello, Ryu.”
“Not bad. But look at your situation! That was a bad move!”
They may have been surprised once, but now that they’d seen her method, it was easy to counter.
“True. I’m not good at aerial combat. But I’m not the only one you’ve pissed off.”
“What?”
“There’s someone else you upset with your cheap tricks.”
Celia gave a sharp grin and pointed behind them with her finger.
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted from the rear.
“What the—?”
BOOM! BOOM!
The explosions continued in rapid succession.
From a distance, they could see competitors falling from the sky.
“Looks like Walden doesn’t take kindly to being ambushed.”
Chen Xia waved cheerfully and without hesitation leapt off her [Griffon].
Her second [Griffon], waiting below, caught her in midair and soared upward.
“Damn it! Grab her and drop—”
SCREEEEECH!
Just as Ryu shouted, a [Griffon] let out a piercing screech.
Startled, he turned his head and saw Walden flying toward them at breakneck speed.
Having caught up with the lead group in an instant, Walden smirked.
“Thanks for the gift, trash.”
FWOOOOOOM!
A massive blaze surged around him.
“Here’s my response.”
“Scatter!”
KABOOOOOM—!
Ryu’s panicked shout was drowned out by a massive explosion that engulfed the area.
—
Leo, still dead last, vaulted over the pen fence.
He approached the final remaining [Griffon].
Grrrrrr—
The beast growled, clearly on guard, and Leo raised an eyebrow.
‘The [Griffons] used for this exam were all managed by Lumene, weren’t they?’
A [Summoned Beast] raised by humans doesn’t show hostility to people.
Leo quickly realized something was wrong—the [Griffon] was limping on one wing.
‘Is it injured?’
Focusing on the wing, Leo frowned.
‘That’s not a wound from fighting other [Griffons]. Someone deliberately hurt it.’
Clicking his tongue, Leo recalled the group interference before the race began.
“Looks like someone’s playing dirty.”
With a smirk, Leo stepped closer.
Kyaaak!
The [Griffon] reacted violently, but Leo didn’t back down.
Kyaaaak!
—Ah! Leo is approaching far too aggressively! Even if it’s a low-tier [Summoned Beast], recklessly getting close when it’s that wary could make [Taming] much more difficult! He’s rushing and making a critical error!
In the audience, Celia stomped her feet in frustration.
“Ugh! Why is he being so reckless?”
Seeing her frustrated expression, Rhys stroked his chin.
“He probably has a plan.”
Kyaaak! Kyaaaak!
As the [Griffon] thrashed about, Leo grabbed its reins.
Kyaaaaak!
Finally losing control, the [Griffon] swung its claws at Leo.
Just as the unexpected attack sent a wave of shock through the crowd—
Grip—!
Leo yanked hard on the reins, eyes sharp with authority.
“Kneel.”
With force behind his voice, the [Griffon] flinched.
Then, as if recognizing Leo’s dominance, it slowly lowered its raised claw and cautiously bowed its posture.
Leo smiled in satisfaction and mounted the submissive [Griffon].
“Good boy.”
He stroked its neck, though the [Griffon] trembled.
—Um… What just happened? The [Griffon] submitted on its own! Leo has achieved the fastest [Taming] time yet!
The commentator, Runba, sounded bewildered.
Just as he said, Leo had completed [Taming] and mounted the beast faster than anyone else.
Yura, observing nearby, clicked her tongue.
‘He subdued it with sheer presence? Is there anything this kid can’t do?’
The idea that Leo would be weak in actual combat had been a total misjudgment.
‘If Walden Thaiden has overwhelming power, Leo has overwhelming technique.’
Yura’s eyes lit up.
‘This race… might actually get exciting.’
Screeeeech!
Leo tugged the reins, and the [Griffon] let out a sharp cry as it took to the skies.
But due to its injured wing, it flapped awkwardly and struggled to gain speed.
—Ah! Leo’s [Griffon] is injured! It managed to take off, but this is incredibly unlucky! At this rate, last place is guaranteed!
Runba shouted in sympathy.
Leo stroked the struggling [Griffon]’s neck and focused his [Spirit Power].
“In the name of the oathbound, I command thee—reveal thyself before me.”
Fwoooosh—!
Flames swirled around Leo, and a massive sphere of fire enveloped him.
“What is that?”
“Looks like he summoned a [Summoned Beast] of the fire attribute?”
“I thought he hadn’t formed any contracts yet?”
The sudden summoning stirred murmurs from the crowd.
“What is that flame?”
Even Celia’s eyes widened.
Rhys’s gaze twitched.
‘The Zerdinger flame? No… it’s not [Aura]. Then what is that?’
Within the flame, a [Summoning Circle] appeared on Leo’s palm.
As the [Summoning Circle] flared, it spat out a small bird.
Peep—peep—
“…Still looks like a chick.”
At Leo’s remark, the baby [Phoenix], Fiora, pecked at his thumb.
“Oh? So you can understand me now?”
Perched on his hand, Fiora fluttered her wings and lifted her beak with pride.
As if to display the majesty of a [Phoenix].
To Leo, however—
‘You’re just a chick, no matter how I look at it.’
“Since we can communicate now, this’ll be easy. Fiora, can you bless this [Griffon] for me?”
[Blessing]—one of a [Phoenix]’s innate abilities, which allows it to grant a portion of its power to a target.
This ability is one of the reasons why [Phoenix] summoners are considered the strongest among [Summoners].
Fiora nodded, then leapt from Leo’s hand and landed atop the [Griffon]’s head.
Already terrified by Leo, the [Griffon] trembled even more.
Instinctively afraid of the supreme-class [Summoned Beast], the [Phoenix].
Fiora gracefully extended her neck and gently pecked the [Griffon]’s head.
Gooooooo—!
The [Griffon]’s feathers stood on end.
Its struggling wingbeats gained strength.
White feathers turned crimson, and its yellow eyes shifted to orange.
Leo smiled and lifted Fiora onto his shoulder.
Fwoosh—!
The surrounding flames scattered.
Screeeeech!
With a powerful cry, the [Griffon] roared into the sky.
“Let’s go!”
As Leo pulled the reins, the [Griffon] shot upward with incredible speed.
“What the?! That’s insanely fast!”
“A first-year can enhance a [Summoned Beast] to that level?!”
The audience gasped in astonishment.
Soaring high above, Leo narrowed his eyes at the distant rear group and descended sharply.
Screams erupted from the stands.
“Wait! Isn’t that way too fast?!”
“How is he supposed to dodge obstacles at that speed?”
A pillar of light appeared in Leo’s descent path.
The magic-generated beam launched rapid volleys of red [Magic Power] orbs in all directions.
The most basic trap in the [Summoned Beast] Race!
Getting hit meant massive physical damage and could even result in instant disqualification.
Naturally, the faster one flew, the harder it was to dodge.
But it wasn’t random—it followed a pattern.
‘Up-down-down-left-left-right-up-left.’
Leo’s eyes instantly tracked the attack pattern.
Whish! Whip—! Whip!
Without reducing speed in the slightest, Leo avoided the [Magic Power] orbs at blinding speed.
It was as if he and the [Griffon] were one.
Gasps of awe filled the audience at his flawless control.
—Ooooh! Leo is displaying unbelievable control over his [Summoned Beast]!
The commentator shouted, unable to contain his excitement.
Leo yanked the reins after clearing an obstacle in an instant.
Because he had deliberately held back his speed for evasion, he still had plenty of room to accelerate.
Having passed the starting zone, Leo sliced rapidly through the sky.
Along the way, he spotted several students flying unsteadily.
‘That guy Walden… looks like he smashed everything in sight on his way through.’
Of course, not everyone had been taken out.
But they had clearly suffered significant damage and couldn’t maintain proper speed.
Thanks to that, Leo quickly merged into the rear group.
“Huh? L-Leo Plov?!”
“He escaped the [Spirit Power] field? No, more importantly—how did he catch up this fast?”
The [Summoning Department] students were startled as Leo soared up behind them.
“Leo!”
Laura from Class 5’s [Summoning Department] lit up with a bright expression.
Seeing her being targeted by other students, Leo pulled his [Griffon]’s reins.
“Looks like Walden already got a few, but…”
The [Griffon] Leo rode reached forward and snatched the neck of the male student who was harassing Laura.
“Y-You bastard!”
“I’ve got the type of personality that pays back exactly what I’m owed.”
Leo flashed the boy a charming smile.
The male student hurried to break free, but before he could do anything, Leo’s [Griffon] soared upward at blinding speed.
Still dangling from its clawed grip, the boy flailed helplessly.
Leo steered the [Griffon] and hurled the student straight at another nearby student.
“Waaaah!”
“W-Why the hell are you throwing him this way…?!”
Thud—!
The two collided and crashed to the ground.
The rest of the rear group watched in a panic.
Flap—! Flap—!
Hovering above, Leo looked down coldly at the stunned students.
“Well then… I hope you’re all ready.”
