Chapter 441

Book 1 Chapter 441

441.

Chen Xia looked up at Arion, who was offering a gentle smile while patting her hair, and spoke with a trace of a pout.

“Aren’t I actually older than Young Master Leo?”

“Ah, is that true?”

Arion appeared a bit taken aback.

With a small complaint, Chen Xia got to her feet.

“Regardless, I’ve had a shift in perspective because of Instructor Akan’s counsel.”

Chen Xia offered a respectful bow.

“Instructor Akan, please don’t carry such heavy guilt either. I’m certain your companion would never wish for that.”

“Indeed.”

“Even if things were abandoned back then, a new opportunity will undoubtedly present itself.”

“A new…?”

“Correct. Young Master Leo gave me that lesson. He told me never to lose hope or look down when surrounded by gloom.”

Chen Xia grinned warmly.

“By lifting your gaze, stepping onward, and extending your grasp… illumination will definitely be there.”

“…That sounds exactly like Leo.”

“Exactly. I wonder what he takes his senior for, treating me as if I’m just a toddler.”

“What exactly did Leo tell you?”

“He mentioned that if I’m a youngster, I ought to harbor youthful dreams, you see? Frankly, he is two whole years my junior.”

Arion chuckled upon hearing Chen Xia’s remarks.

“Those are excellent sentiments.”

“How is the youth’s progress?”

Torua inquired while leafing through a volume of arcane lore inside the staff quarters.

“Flawless.”

Jamua offered a satisfied grin.

“Pupils from every single academy are adapting to my structured regimen without issue.”

“Structured, my foot. You’re simply striking and kicking the youngsters. It’s primitive.”

Jamua countered Torua’s disapproval.

“Delivering strikes and kicks demands far greater accuracy than you realize. It operates on the same concept as the craftsmanship required for smithing armaments.”

“Quite right, Lee Jamua. You truly deserve the title of Lumerne’s finest male specimen from the previous year.”

Derou, who used to serve as Azonia’s second-in-command, crossed his arms and nodded in agreement, though Torua expressed her doubts.

“What nonsense are you spouting? Up until last year, Lise held the crown for Lumerne’s ultimate masculinity.”

“Incorrect, Lise placed third in terms of manly vigor.”

“Who secured the runner-up spot then?”

“That would be you.”

“I happen to be female, you absolute savage.”

“Hmph, it is an honor you should cherish, Torua Yan! Your masculine aura eclipses that of most gentlemen!”

Observing Derou’s behavior, which even included an approving gesture, Torua earnestly deliberated on what manner of sorcery she should employ to incinerate him.

He clearly intended it as praise, but from Torua’s point of view, it was anything but flattering.

While Torua remained lost in thought, Jamua interjected.

“On another note, Torua, are you guiding your charges effectively?”

“Naturally. I am exposing the pupils with deficient mana sensitivity to a diverse array of incantations.”

“Are you not merely utilizing those children for magical trials?”

“Hmph. Doesn’t that achieve dual objectives simultaneously?”

The pupils assigned to Torua consisted predominantly of individuals struggling with low magical responsiveness.

“I am currently analyzing a formula that inflicts hex status via neurological manipulation, and these conditions are ideal for empirical testing.”

“Truly, a display fitting for Lumerne’s resident lunatic.”

“For what reason am I labeled a lunatic?”

Torua grew indignant at Banir’s remark.

“Do you truly require an explanation? Your actions regarding sorcery frequently border on absolute lunacy, do they not? What occurred just recently? You expressed a desire to vivisect Leo Flobe and Lunia El Lunda, did you not?”

“It is entirely for the advancement of magical science. Besides, provided I stitch them back together flawlessly, no harm is done, correct?”

“That exact mentality is why everyone views you as unhinged.”

“Hmph. And what about you? Aren’t you terrorizing the trainees by shoving them off precipices and the like? You absolute maniac of a rabbit.”

Torua and Banir exchanged fierce looks.

Jamua uttered a quiet observation while watching the pair.

“They haven’t altered their behavior in the slightest.”

“Back in their academy days, Banir’s rivalry with Torua was far more intense than any friction with Lise.”

It was during this moment of mutual head-shaking between Jamua and Derou.

“Ah, they are devoid of affection.”

Ulta, who had been monitoring the exchange, flung his arms out wide.

Fixing his gaze on Ulta, Jamua spoke up.

“Ulta, you are only supervising a pair of pupils, correct? I gathered that matters are not progressing smoothly?”

“I am imparting affection. Genuine affection is inherently challenging to manifest.”

“…Uh, if you say so.”

It was right when Jamua, concluding that rational dialogue was out of the question, simply shook his head.

Lienia, who formerly held the title of student council president at Seyrun and had been observing the scene, finally spoke.

“Aren’t all of you showing far too much laxity regarding your roles as mentors? You are merely seeking personal amusement. Or catering to your own self-centered cravings.”

“Are you truly in a position to criticize anyone?”

“While you enforce bizarre, nightmarish regimes upon the trainees.”

“You derive pleasure from watching your juniors suffer, you absolute sadist.”

As reprimands descended upon her from every corner, Lienia pressed her hands to her cheeks.

“Hearing the agonizing cries of the children is rather delightful.”

“…No matter how I analyze it, Seyrun appears to harbor the highest concentration of instability among the institutions of the Hero Academy.”

“Agreed, they present the most respectable facade, yet only the most eccentric individuals seem to gather there.”

“Isn’t the prospective successor for the student council presidency, that kid named Lunia, essentially a ruffian?”

The alumni conversed in hushed tones, though Lienia remained entirely unbothered.

Right at that moment, the entryway swung open, and a dark-haired youth stepped inside.

“Lise, how are the introductory students faring?”

“They are completely cooperative. This particular batch of introductory students appears exceptionally promising. They maintain excellent harmony among themselves.”

Following Lise’s observation, Banir chimed in.

“They hail from separate institutions yet maintain an amicable relationship?”

“These introductory students frequently associate with peers from neighboring academies and form bonds without difficulty, don’t they?”

“Oh? They possess quite the amicable disposition, then.”

In essence, the distinct branches of the Hero Academy cultivate an intense spirit of rivalry among one another.

Particularly during the introductory year, this competitive drive frequently translates into open animosity.

Even the intermediate students only managed to unite and blend cohesively at the term’s commencement because of the obligations surrounding the Smith exclusive contract.

Had that circumstance not arisen, they likely wouldn’t have even exchanged greetings.

In truth, throughout the timeframe of the Smith exclusive contract, virtually no communication occurred across the respective academies.

By comparison, these introductory students appeared to be forging companionships at an accelerated pace.

“This new generation also possesses capabilities above the baseline, even if they don’t quite match the caliber of the intermediate class. In normal circumstances, the greater the innate capability of a class, the higher their self-importance, which usually hinders interpersonal bonds during the introductory year.”

“Much like our own experience?”

“Precisely.”

The alumni let out collective chuckles.

Given that they had now completed their education and endured countless confrontations across their five-year tenure, they could jest freely and enjoy each other’s company, but during their introductory and intermediate periods, their interactions had been laced with tension.

“What is the underlying cause for this?”

“Isn’t it due to the fact that the class directly preceding them is so phenomenally gifted? They have no choice but to feel overwhelmed, which suppresses any inflated sense of personal pride, doesn’t it?”

“Undoubtedly, when faced with seniors of that caliber, anyone would naturally feel small and adopt a modest attitude.”

The current intermediate class was being hailed as an unprecedentedly magnificent generation, spanning every single academy branch.

“I observed it during this rotation. The foremost individuals of the introductory class do not appear to match the proficiency exhibited by the intermediate tier.”

“With that degree of capability, an individual would typically grow somewhat self-satisfied, yet there is no indication of such behavior.”

“Why do our intimidating juniors never lower their defenses? It creates a rather daunting impression for the upperclassmen observing them.”

The Hero Academy serves as the gathering ground exclusively for the elite.

Every single enrollee is deemed a prodigy.

And if an individual secures the absolute pinnacle position even within a collection of prodigies, arrogance is the standard outcome.

Yet the intermediate students betrayed no such vanity.

“There is an absolute anomaly among them.”

As Lise spoke with a gentle grin, Lienia narrowed her vision.

“Leo Flobe. He belongs to the intermediate class, yet his capabilities already eclipse the definition of a mere learner. The premier force among the intermediates. No, characterizing him as the most formidable student within the entirety of the Hero Academy would be far more precise.”

Virtually everyone gathered in this space was on the verge of achieving hero status, and a select few were already projected to secure a place upon the Hero Record in the immediate future.

Attaining such recognition within a mere six months of completing their schooling was an exceedingly scarce feat, even across the vast chronicle of heroic figures.

Yet even the individuals present could inherently perceive the reality.

The reality that Leo existed as a far more potent entity elevated above them.

“Was his prowess comparable during his introductory year?”

“He drifted far from the standard parameters of humanity even in his introductory term, though it had not reached this extreme magnitude.”

Every individual encounters a developmental ceiling as they advance.

Yet Leo remained exempt from this rule.

‘Leo is actually accelerating his growth rate more and more.’

Lise reflected on Leo’s progress.

“What could his true nature possibly be?”

In response to Derou’s inquiry, Jamua crossed his arms and smirked.

“I categorize him simply as a freak of nature.”

“My hypothesis leans toward him belonging to the Sixth Race.”

Torua offered her perspective.

“Leo is merely brimming with an abundance of affection.”

Ulta chuckled, gesturing broadly with his arms.

“Regardless of what he truly is, as long as our juniors—who are destined to shoulder the fate of this realm alongside us—can advance themselves through Leo’s influence, there is no grander outcome.”

Following Lise’s sentiment, Banir posed a question.

“Are you content to simply concede superiority then?”

“Absolutely not.”

Lise shook her head in dissent.

“We must exert ourselves continuously to ensure we are not overtaken by those following behind us.”

It was a moment where the entire group expressed agreement with Lise’s assertion.

“Shifting topics, what is the situation regarding that individual named Akan?”

Lise inquired.

Because her responsibilities were restricted solely to the introductory class, Lise had experienced minimal interaction with Arion.

Faced with Lise’s query, Torua crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side.

“He is quite an extraordinary individual. It is rather astonishing that someone of his caliber possesses no public reputation whatsoever.”

“Could he be operating from the shadows?”

“I find that highly improbable.”

“What data do we actually possess regarding him?”

Banir interjected, observing Torua’s negative gesture.

“To begin with, his physical appearance bears a striking resemblance to Lord Arion.”

“Hmph, who can say for certain. It remains entirely possible that he is indeed Lord Arion.”

A sudden stillness enveloped the room at Ulta’s pronouncement.

The individuals exchanged glances before collectively erupting into laughter.

“Regardless of circumstances, that simply cannot be the case.”

“A phenomenal event did manifest within Seyrun, but its duration was incredibly brief, was it not?”

“A full fortnight has elapsed since that individual made his appearance, correct? Yet he shows no signs of dissolving into nothingness, does he?”

In truth, the instructional staff had harbored skepticism initially.

This was due to the aura that mirrored Arion so precisely.

However, two weeks had already passed since the commencement of the instructional camp.

If this were truly Arion returning to the mortal plane via the phenomenon of the Hero Record, his prolonged manifestation would defy all established logic.

Furthermore, there was a decisive factor.

“Every time he crossed my path, he appeared entirely intimidated, did he not?”

“Mm-hmm! Quite right! He completely lacks masculine fortitude.”

“To put it plainly, he carries himself like a startled prey animal.”

The group collectively recounted their observations of Arion.

‘Instructor Akan, indeed.’

Lise retreated into her thoughts.

‘My initial perception of him shared a quality with my impression of Leo.’

Their external features, temperaments, and lineages diverged entirely.

Yet the unfathomable abyss reflecting within their gaze was identical.

‘What sort of background does he truly possess?’

During the profound quietude of the early morning hours.

Lise silently exited the lodging quarters.

“Heading out for self-improvement?”

Lienia, who was positioned outside the dwelling, offered a smile and questioned Lise as she noticed her approach.

“Your deduction is entirely accurate.”

“We have clashed as the chosen champions for Lumerne and Seyrun, after all. Our mutual comprehension is instantaneous.”

Lienia delivered a playful wink before continuing.

“Observing your relative without pause has made me quite eager for some physical exertion myself. Would you care to engage in a practice match with me?”

“I do not serve as a stand-in for Leo.”

Lise offered a faint, mirthless laugh in response to Lienia’s proposition.

“If you intend to engage in preparatory exercises, allow me to join.”

Banir emerged from the surrounding shadows.

“It has been quite some time since I last tested my skills against the two of you.”

Lise, Lienia, and Banir.

The trio consisted of elite martial practitioners capable of manifesting intense auras.

“When dealing with an unstable rabbit as an adversary, a subdued contest seems entirely out of the question.”

“Did you honestly expect me to display leniency toward Lise?”

Lienia let out a soft chuckle as Banir’s expression sharpened.

Thus, amidst the dead of night.

The three prepared to conduct a training duel in an isolated location to avoid disrupting the camp.

“Are you perhaps engaging in a confrontation?”

Step— Step—

“……!”

The trio experienced a minor shudder as Arion materialized beneath the lunar glow, his steps falling lightly.

“The timing is immaculate. I also ventured outside to loosen my muscles. I found myself in need of a partner. Would you object to testing your skills against me?”

“That is an acceptable proposition.”

Lise manifested a smile.

“We have also harbored curiosity regarding the true capabilities of Instructor Akan.”

“Is that so?”

“Which of us do you intend to face initially?”

Arion offered a serene grin in response to Lise’s inquiry.

“All three simultaneously.”

“What was that?”

“I desire to contend with all three of you at once.”