Chapter 81
Three professors were walking down the corridor of the Hero’s Tower.
They were Professor Ain, Professor Len, and Professor Yura, the ones in charge of the first-year classes.
Even in Lumene, these three professors were known for having strong individual personalities, but today, they wore unusually tense expressions.
They had gathered all the first-year students to announce something related to the Department Competition.
If it were any other year group, there wouldn’t be any reason to be this nervous.
But this year’s first-years were different.
That was because, no matter which department he chose, there was someone who could disrupt the balance of power in any department.
‘Leo Plov,’
The Department Competition’s greatest wildcard, an unprecedented all-class student with top-tier abilities in every class.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the outcome of this Department Competition could completely change depending on which department Leo chose.
However, all three professors were convinced that Leo would choose their own department.
‘Leo Plov is deeply connected to the Zerdinger family. He’ll obviously choose the Knight Department.’
Ain, who had long noticed the flame aura Leo used, was sure of it.
‘Leo is a student with overwhelming magical talent. On the school trip, he even deciphered the magic left behind by the Founder of the Nebula. Of course, the only place for him is the Magic Department.’
Len, who knew Leo’s magical aptitude well, had no doubt Leo would pick the Magic Department.
‘He’s the kid who made a contract with the Phoenix. Where else would he go?’
Yura looked at the other two professors as if she found them ridiculous.
For once, the three professors—famous for being out of sync—were actually in agreement.
But their expressions twisted the moment they reached the auditorium.
“Why is Leo sitting alone?”
“He’s isolating himself from the rest of the year.”
The one who answered Len’s question was Torua.
“You all must have heard the announcement. We’ve called you here today for the Department Competition.”
At those words, the focus of all the first-years instantly sharpened.
“Before that, let me explain why your seniors are here today. Let’s start with Jamua.”
At Ain’s words, Jamua stepped forward.
“Nice to meet you, juniors! I’m Li Jamua!”
Li Jamua shouted energetically and grinned.
“I know some of you are dual-class students! But the fact that you’re sitting here means you chose Knight as your main class!”
Several students nodded.
“A knight is someone who overcomes every hardship and crisis with their own body! Training yourself is the very foundation of a knight! If you neglect your training, you can’t call yourself a knight! So, for the next month, I’ll be training with you! Let’s do our best!”
Hearing that, the Knight Department students buzzed with excitement.
“Did you hear that? We get to train with Senior Jamua? That’s amazing!”
They were thrilled at the prospect of training for a month with a senior they respected.
After Jamua’s introduction, it was Torua’s turn.
“Hello, first-years. I’m Torua Yan. I hate lying, so I’ll be honest.”
Torua stuck out her tongue with her usual blank face.
“I think you’re all terrible as mages.”
The sudden comment made the students scowl.
“I read all the magic papers you submitted by the midterms. Some had interesting points, but most were just generic.”
A student raised a hand at Torua’s words.
“You said you read all the papers we submitted, so do you remember the one called ‘A Study on Efficiently Converting Fire Attribute Mana to Light Attribute Mana’?”
“Yes. It was seventeen pages. The typical idea of increasing output using thermal energy.”
“……”
Faced with an immediate answer, the student closed their mouth.
There were a few more questions, but Torua calmly and perfectly answered all of them.
The Magic Department students were shocked by how well she knew all those papers.
“Magic is a field that requires curiosity and creativity. You need to have your own unique style to grow, but that’s hard nowadays. All you have to do is inherit the powerful magic built up by the previous mage heroes. But just inheriting it isn’t enough. You need to reinterpret it in your own way for it to truly be yours.”
Torua smiled faintly.
“For the next month, I’ll be your mentor and help broaden your magical perspective.”
“Does that mean we get to learn magic from you, Senior Torua?”
“I don’t teach. I just help you see things differently.”
The Magic Department students were surprised.
But after seeing Torua’s skills, the atmosphere was electric.
Next up was Ulta.
“Juniors, what do you think is the most important quality for a summoner? You two in front, want to answer?”
At Ulta’s question, Eliza raised her chin.
“I think it’s the charisma to command summoned beasts.”
“Wrong.”
Eliza’s proud eyes twitched.
“I think it’s overwhelming strength.”
Walden replied expressionlessly.
“Wrong.”
Ulta shook her head at both answers and spread her arms wide.
“The most important quality for a summoner… is love.”
“……”
“……”
Eliza and Walden were left speechless by the unexpected answer.
“A summoner must be able to embrace spirits and summoned beasts! Love is the emotion that embodies total acceptance! Ah, what a beautiful resonance it is!”
Torua, watching Ulta’s dramatic speech about love as if she were an actor, spoke up.
“She’s always been a total oddball.”
“You’re so weird, even the number two oddball in our class looks normal compared to you.”
“Musclehead.”
“Magic idiot.”
While Jamua and Torua exchanged childish insults, Yura sighed and stepped in.
“To interpret what this one’s saying, you need to be able to accept the true nature of spirits and summoned beasts.”
“Ah~”
The Summoning Department students finally understood.
“That’s right, juniors! I’ll spend the next month teaching you about love!”
Just as the Summoning Department students made strange faces at Ulta’s declaration—
“Now, here’s a question.”
Professor Yura smiled slyly, drawing the students’ attention.
“Why do you think your seniors are helping as mentors for a month? The department that answers correctly will get points.”
A sudden pop quiz for the Department Competition made students raise their hands.
“You there, from the Magic Department.”
“For the Department Competition!”
“Wrong. Next!”
“To help juniors improve!”
“Incorrect!”
There were countless answers.
Even the top students of each department gave careful answers, but none were right.
When no more students raised their hands, Leo raised his.
“Leo. Let’s hear it.”
Most of the students looked like they didn’t expect much.
After all, all the obvious answers had already been given, so what could Leo possibly say?
“It’s because of the Hero’s World.”
The professors and fifth-years’ gazes changed.
“Be more specific.”
“The training for knights, the curiosity and creativity for mages, and the acceptance for summoners that the seniors emphasized—these are the fundamentals of each class.”
Leo calmly began to explain.
“I understand that from the second semester, Lumene students officially begin inheriting the power of past heroes through the Hero Record.”
All the first-years focused on Leo’s words.
“I believe the seniors are helping with our classes to pass down their know-how, so we don’t get swept away by that power when we inherit it.”
“Correct.”
Yura nodded with a satisfied smile.
Len, watching, asked,
“Senior Ain, have you ever seen a first-year give such a perfect answer?”
“Never.”
Ain let out a wry laugh.
‘That’s the answer of someone who truly understands a hero’s power.’
“As Leo Plov said, these three are on the front lines of dungeon raids. They’ve conquered countless Hero’s Worlds, and the rewards they’ve earned are considerable.”
The students’ eyes sparkled.
Inheriting power through the Hero Record!
It was what most of them had dreamed of for a long time.
For Lumene students, entering the school for this very reason was not an exaggeration.
“Knowing how to handle a hero’s power is essential for you. These three will be passing on all kinds of know-how to you over the next month.”
Hearing that, the students’ eyes shone with excitement.
“Professor, how will the Department Competition be run?”
The format of the Department Competition changed every year.
Sometimes it was a sports day, evaluating how well abilities were used in various events, sometimes a siege and defense, or even raiding Hero’s Worlds as the main event.
“It hasn’t been decided yet. To be exact, even we haven’t heard anything.”
Ain sighed as he answered, making the students look uneasy.
Not only the first-years, but even the fifth-years looked surprised.
“It hasn’t been decided yet?”
“You lack love.”
“Enough with the love nonsense, you pervert.”
At Jamua’s question, Ulta looked regretful, while Torua shot her down without hesitation.
“The principal said he’d make the announcement today. He’ll be here soon.”
As soon as Ain finished speaking, the auditorium doors opened, and Principal Kalian appeared.
Seeing Kalian radiate overwhelming presence unbefitting of his age, the first-years looked tense.
“Welcome, first-year fledglings.”
Standing at the podium, Kalian spoke in a solemn voice.
At that, the first-years swallowed hard.
“The principal is always intimidating.”
At Carr’s mutter, Chloe remembered the previous meeting with Kalian.
‘Back then, he felt like a friendly old man next door.’
“I agonized a lot over which events to choose for your Department Competition.”
Kalian smiled wryly, sweeping his gaze across the first-years.
His gaze finally landed on Leo, sitting alone.
Kalian gave him a meaningful look.
“To be honest, this year’s first-year Department Competition will be held a bit differently from other classes. In a way, it might not even be a Department Competition but an individual competition.”
The first-years murmured.
The professors waiting in the back also looked flustered as Kalian slammed the podium.
“This year, the first-year Department Competition event is… battle royale!”