Chapter 566

Chapter 566

“Who exactly are these youngsters?”

Leo asked, directing his finger toward the group from Wisdom who stood positioned behind Lunia and Ar.

“You must be Leo Flobe, correct? It is an honor to meet you! My name is Lyden! I am a pupil from Wisdom!”

“Wisdom?”

“It is a training institution located within Dragonia, dedicated to instructing dragons who have taken up the legacy and purpose of Master Licinas.”

Chelsea chimed in from Leo’s side, offering clarification to his clearly bewildered look.

“It is precisely as that young lady described. We are individuals preparing to become guides. We are the progeny of the legendary Master Licinas.”

“Is that so? Do the offspring of Licinas have some sort of matter to discuss with me?”

“We have journeyed here to assess your suitability to be a hero.”

For a brief span, Leo’s features blanked with utter lack of comprehension, while Chelsea’s jaw simply dropped open in disbelief.

Lunia pressed her palm against her face, dropping her head backward in exasperation.

“I must have heard that incorrectly. Would you mind repeating what you just said?”

“Our purpose here is to put you to the proof.”

‘What on earth is this green, inexperienced child prattling about?’

Leo let out a completely empty chuckle.

“Have you completely lost your senses? By what right do you think you can test big brother Leo!”

Right then, Chelsea, standing right beside him, completely lost her temper and barked out.

Leo was none other than the Hero of the Beginning.

The legendary champion who had obliterated Erebus and delivered the realm from ruin five millennia ago.

A figure who essentially served as the progenitor of every single hero in existence!

Yet they wanted to judge a man like Leo?

‘The absolute ridiculousness of it!’

“And who might you be?”

“I am Chelsea Lewellyn, a second-year magic scholar representing Lumern!”

“From the prominent Lewellyn family of the Rodren Empire?”

Following Chelsea’s outburst, a tall female pupil from Wisdom stepped out from the rear line.

The statuesque student locked her gaze entirely on Chelsea.

“What exactly are you staring at?”

Without warning, the tall young woman scooped Chelsea up into a tight embrace, completely ignoring the girl’s deeply knit brows.

“You are so incredibly small! Just like a little doll! This is exceptionally precious!”

Snap!

A prominent vein bulged on Chelsea’s forehead; being labeled as small or tiny was her absolute greatest trigger in life.

Observing Chelsea’s feet kicking wildly in empty air as she dangled, Ar let out a sharp, mocking snort.

“Seeing her suspended like that, she really does look pint-sized.”

‘You are absolutely finished later! You miserable feline!’

Chelsea ground her teeth together fiercely, making a mental promise to plant a solid dropkick right into that face.

“Would you mind releasing your grip on me?”

“Ah, please forgive me.”

The student cleared her throat politely, “Ahem!”

“Shiren. Maintain your composure as a proper student of Wisdom.”

“My bad, my bad.”

The girl named Shiren, letting out a bright and lively laugh, formally introduced herself to Chelsea.

“A pleasure to meet you, Chelsea Lewellyn. My name is Shiren. I belong to the Wind Dragons. I have held a deep fascination for and conducted research on your Lewellyn lineage since my childhood days.”

Shiren, performing an elegant greeting by slightly pinching the edges of her dress, gazed upon Chelsea with genuine appreciation.

“The air currents swirling around your form tell the story. You are still so young, yet your capabilities are quite remarkable, aren’t they?”

In return, Chelsea merely stared back up at Shiren with a dark, displeased expression.

‘There isn’t an ounce of ill intent here.’

Yet, it felt incredibly jarring.

How exactly could she define it?

‘A subtle sensation of being looked down upon, even if just a fraction?’

This was entirely distinct from the arrogant elf elitists obsessed with blood purity that she had encountered during the Lucet War over the past year.

Shiren was genuinely showing respect toward Chelsea.

She wasn’t dismissing her abilities either.

‘Right. She genuinely believes it is her duty to point me in the right direction.’

That underlying assumption naturally rubbed her the wrong way.

Regardless of anyone’s opinion, Chelsea stood as a premier student chosen to represent Lumern.

Admittedly, during her initial year, she had struggled to discern her true path and found herself drifting blindly.

There was the wind known as Abad, a constant presence since her earliest memories.

And there was the wind known as Leo, who had walked through the gates of Lumern right alongside her.

There had been moments when she was entirely overwhelmed and carried away by those tempestuous gales whenever their paths crossed.

But those days were firmly in the past.

She now knew exactly what she desired to accomplish.

Chelsea was actively discovering her true identity and generating a powerful, independent wind of her own making.

To someone like Chelsea, Shiren’s demeanor—which practically radiated the confidence of ‘an enlightened mentor meant to show you the way’—was bound to cause irritation.

‘Do I look like some sort of incapable fool who requires a handler to show me where to walk? What a joke.’

This sentiment wasn’t exclusive to Chelsea; the others felt it just as keenly.

It truly was a fascinating shift.

When they had first arrived at the Hero Academy, their grandest aspiration was to be selected by a dragon companion.

Every individual who had secured such a bond went on to perform legendary deeds, making it impossible for aspiring heroes not to feel a sense of longing.

Yet, even though they were now standing right on the precipice of that very dream, none of them felt a shred of satisfaction.

Leo, sweeping his gaze across the gathering, let out a soft, amused laugh.

‘Every single one of them has truly matured.’

The destination they sought.

The figures they desired to become.

Their objectives were sharply defined.

Forging ahead resolutely toward those aims served as undeniable confirmation of their progression.

‘It is inherently offensive to force a map upon individuals who are already charting their own course perfectly fine, without even checking if they want it. It amounts to uninvited interference in another’s path. Regardless.’

Leo shifted his attention squarely onto the Wisdom group.

‘They are entirely green.’

The dragon race stood as the pinnacle of power.

Furthermore, because this institution collected the most brilliant minds from among that elite species.

The dragons standing before his eyes possessed immense intellect and remarkable talent.

And yet…

‘They are consumed by vanity.’

These particular dragons bore little resemblance to the ancient dragons Leo had stood alongside during the legendary Age of Heroes.

The dragons from Leo’s past memory had possessed unique backgrounds and deeply personal principles.

Yet, despite their diverse traits, every single one of them preserved a piece of the inheritance Licinas had entrusted to future generations.

Though they were apex creatures, they never displayed conceitedness.

They consistently practiced humility, lowering themselves to communicate eye-to-eye with the various other species.

However, these current Wisdom scholars were cut from a different cloth than their ancestors.

Instead of reflecting Licinas, they mirrored the ancient dragons who, acting as global protectors during the brutal Age of Calamity, proved utterly incapable of shedding their supreme vanity.

An ego-driven race that viewed themselves as divine rulers while treating all other lineages as disposable inferiors, rejecting unity even as the entire world stood on the brink of absolute annihilation.

That had been Kyle’s exact view of the dragon race before his fateful encounter with Licinas.

‘What is the best way to discipline these conceited little lizards?’

Leo, deeply immersed in thought while scanning his surroundings, suddenly caught sight of a pair perched atop the roof.

It was none other than Mellina paired with Enkinias.

Enkinias offered a respectful, low bow the exact moment his gaze connected with Leo’s.

Mellina flashed an uneasy, self-conscious grin before pressing her palms together in a quiet, pleading gesture.

‘Is she asking me to handle them gently?’

To be fair, simply because they shared traits with the arrogant dragons of antiquity did not mean they were fundamentally identical to them.

‘At the end of the day, they are merely inexperienced youths who know nothing of the wider world.’

Leo gave his hair a rough, careless scratch.

‘Still, it is incredibly grating.’

Had Luna or Dweno been present, they would have branded them as impudent pests and instantly reduced them to a pulp.

Leo felt entirely capable of the exact same response.

‘Yet, Licinas would have approached this differently.’

He would have shattered their narrow perspective to show them just how vast reality truly is.

Exactly as he had extended a welcoming hand to Kyle during those ancient days.

With that realization settling in, Leo reached out and gently patted the head of Chelsea, whose features were still tightly coiled in irritation.

Under his touch, Chelsea’s tense expression softened just a fraction.

“You mentioned a desire to evaluate my worthiness as a hero, is that correct?”

“That is correct,” Lyden confirmed, his chest swelling with pride.

Leo offered a quiet laugh, locking his eyes onto Lyden.

“Very well. Proceed with your evaluation of my worthiness.”

“A most excellent decision!”

“However, prior to that.”

“Yes?”

“Am I permitted to evaluate your worthiness in return?”

“You… evaluating us?”

“There exists no decree stating a champion cannot put a potential guide to the proof, does there?”

“That is technically an accurate statement.”

‘Leo Flobe has already ascended to the rank of an established hero. What is more, he commands the favor of a deity… making him the solitary existence capable of throwing back Erebus.’

Lyden held the rank of the absolute premier student within Wisdom.

He harbored an intense ambition to eventually claim the legacy of the legendary King of Wisdom and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with heroes to alter the fate of the world.

To Lyden’s mind, among all the champions walking the earth in this era, there could be no grander comrade than Leo.

‘And considering this individual’s stature, it would not be out of place even if Lady Mellina or Master Enkinias themselves stepped forward to serve as his guides.’

If that was the reality, he needed to display his capabilities by any means necessary.

Lyden gave a firm nod of agreement.

“Very well. Your name is already deeply etched into the Hero Record as a true champion. You possess every right to test my capabilities!”

‘Leo is almost certainly looking forward to entirely shattering your mental fortitude, you poor fool.’

Lunia clicked her tongue quietly, casting a pitying look toward Lyden.

“So? What manner of trial do you intend to present? I am fully prepared to conquer whatever you throw at me.”

“The trial itself is remarkably straightforward. Your sole task is to break free from an illusion spell that I will execute.”

“An illusion spell? Such magic holds very little sway over the dragon race. Furthermore, when the targets are fully aware from the onset that they are entering a fabrication, breaking free becomes trivial. You are surely well aware of that basic fact, are you not?”

Leo smiled thinly, watching Lyden, whose features suddenly locked in confusion.

“If that is your concern, you may cast it aside. Why don’t the rest of you join in on the experience as well?”

Leo directed his words toward the remaining Wisdom pupils who were silently analyzing the unfolding drama from the background.

Prompted by his offer, the Wisdom students traded glances.

“This promises to be quite entertaining.”

“I am rather fascinated to witness the caliber of magic an All-Class Hero wields.”

The rest of the Wisdom pupils similarly displayed expressions of genuine intrigue.

Observing their reactions, Leo turned back and addressed Chelsea.

“Furthermore, Chelsea will be participating in this trial right alongside all of you.”

“Who, me?”

Chelsea’s eyes snapped wide in surprise, her index finger pointing directly back at her own chest.

“Do you intend to scale down the intensity of the illusion spell to accommodate Chelsea Lewellyn?”

“If I were to lower the threshold to match Chelsea’s capabilities, this entire exercise would lose its purpose.”

“In that scenario, wouldn’t the experience become exceedingly perilous for her?”

Lyden’s features clouded with genuine apprehension.

Catching Lyden’s protective display, Chelsea’s face twisted into an annoyed scowl.

“Save your anxiety for yourself rather than wasting it on me.”

Watching Chelsea deliver her fierce retort with an entirely sour expression, Shiren pressed her hands against her cheeks in adoration.

“She is so incredibly petite and fiercely defensive, it is absolutely delightful.”

“She isn’t merely defensive. She is a child blessed with a genuinely foul disposition.”

“Big brother Leo, would it be permissible for me to land a solid strike right to that feline’s solar plexus just once before we begin?”

“Tracking him down and landing a blow won’t be an easy feat, you know?”

At Leo’s dry observation, Chelsea let out an irritated click of her tongue, “Tsk!”

“There is absolutely no reason to spend your worry on Chelsea.”

Breaking away from an illusion’s grasp demanded an unyielding foundation of mental strength.

Lyden harbored such anxieties simply because his perception painted Chelsea as nothing more than an undeveloped hero candidate.

‘Naturally, Chelsea still has much room to grow.’

This applied not only to Chelsea.

Lunia, Ar, and Driana were all similarly unrefined.

Yet, that metric existed solely within Leo’s elevated viewpoint.

For Lyden to short-sightedly pass judgment on Chelsea was an error; the road Chelsea had traveled thus far was anything but a smooth, easy journey.

‘Regardless of what anyone believes, she has stood directly upon the field of combat against the forces of Erebus.’

During the critical hour when the third fragment of Erebus breached its seal and awakened.

Chelsea had marched directly onto the front lines of that nightmare to provide vital aid to Arion.

‘The sheer difference between possessing that raw experience and lacking it is monumental.’

Chelsea was far from some fragile, unseasoned candidate.

She was a practitioner of sorcery fully worthy of the title of hero.

‘Had it been my choice, I would have simply thrashed them soundly, but knowing your nature, you would have utilized this as a moment to impart knowledge. Am I right?’

Conjuring the memory of his ancient companion, a subtle smile graced Leo’s lips.

“So then, are you fully prepared?”

“Without a doubt.”

Lyden along with the rest of the Wisdom scholars maintained thoroughly composed, self-assured expressions.

Chelsea offered a sharp nod of readiness as well.

“In that case.”

Leo set his internal magic reserves free.

Lyden’s posture instantly stiffened, his eyes tracking the sudden shift.

‘What specific school of magic is he invoking?’

The very instant that query crossed his mind.

The silver-gray mana streaming outward from Leo’s palm warped into an absolute, pitch-black void.

“What in the world?”

This force bore no resemblance to the corrupted, rancid darkness associated with Tartarus.

It offered a comforting, enveloping sensation, as though it possessed the capacity to swallow and hold everything within existence.

Yet, precisely because of that absolute embrace, it invoked a chilling terror born of a completely boundless, unknowable depth.

‘This energy… it is the distinct mana signature of a dragon?’

Lyden’s pupils dilated in pure shock as his gaze locked onto Leo.

In that identical heartbeat, he perceived that Leo’s irises had shifted entirely, discarding their ruby hue for a deep, obsidian blackness.

Those eyes were an exact match to the gaze of his own draconic kind.

‘Dragonic Word Magic!’

Lyden, alongside every single student from Wisdom, stared in absolute, open-mouthed paralysis.

This represented an apex tier of Dragonic Word Magic that none of them, in their current stage of development, could ever dream of manipulating.

In an era lost to time, the King of Wisdom had fundamentally re-engineered the dark malady of Tartarus to fashion the dreaded Dragon’s Curse.

Grasping the true nature of the incantation being woven, absolute dread seized Lyden’s heart.

‘Nightmare?’

In that terminal split second.

Lyden found himself entirely swallowed by a rising tide of darkness that bled across his vision like spilled ink.