Chapter 568

568.

Liden stared at Chelsea in utter disbelief as she boldly confronted Licinas right in front of him.

‘What is going on? Chelsea Rwalyn… does she truly possess no fear?’

Chelsea’s decision to step in front of Licinas appeared immensely foolhardy.

Even if this opponent was merely a replica, he represented a legendary figure.

Though she was celebrated back in Lumerun as part of the Golden Generation, when measured against Licinas, she amounted to nothing more than a tiny spark beneath the brilliant moon.

‘How… how does she have the nerve to stand against someone like him?’

Liden squeezed his hand into a tight fist.

Though his mind swirled with endless questions, Liden moved swiftly to relocate his companions to a safe distance, ensuring they wouldn’t be caught in the destructive aftermath of the impending clash.

“Are you not going to intervene and stop her?”

“She wouldn’t be capable of fleeing regardless.”

Licinas offered a profound grin.

“After all, it is far more rewarding to engage an adversary full of passion than one who is frozen by terror and completely unable to fight back.”

Licinas’s eyes narrowed slightly as he uttered those words.

“Furthermore, there is a reason I must discipline her.”

‘Maybe it wasn’t the wisest choice to call him hideous earlier?’

Chelsea’s expression grew tense.

Observing Chelsea’s reaction, Licinas raised his hand into the air.

Flash-!

An innumerable amount of luminous specks materialized in the empty air.

Upon witnessing this, a sudden burst of wind erupted from Chelsea’s body, expanding rapidly outward.

Pabababababat-!

The luminous specks transformed into a torrential downpour of pure light, cascading violently toward Chelsea.

Chelsea winced at the sight, immediately exerting control over the surrounding currents.

‘This cannot even be compared to Illiana’s spells!’

Thinking back to her academy companion who specialized in light-based magic, Chelsea cried out inwardly.

‘The trajectory of the strike is basic! It travels in a straight line!’

Chelsea’s gaze shifted with incredible speed.

Utilizing her signature magic, the Heat Wave, which significantly boosted her agility, Chelsea swiftly evaded the offensive spell unleashed by Licinas.

Flash-!

As a beam of light grazed past her cheek by a hair’s breadth, cold perspiration formed across Chelsea’s forehead.

‘A single hit from that would mean certain death.’

At a cursory glance, the spell did not seem particularly different from Magic Missile, the most rudimentary form of offensive sorcery.

Nevertheless, the destructive force compressed within it vastly eclipsed the power of most advanced magic spells.

Hwaak-!

Chelsea’s form propelled upward, soaring high into the sky.

“Hukk!”

Yet, what greeted Chelsea in the upper air was a pale, elegant finger pointed directly at the bridge of her nose.

The owner of that flawless, chiseled hand was none other than Licinas himself.

A sudden spark of light ignited from the tip of Licinas’s finger.

In a desperate rush, Chelsea jerked her head backward.

Flash-! Kwagagagang-!

A monumental flash accompanied by a deafening explosion reverberated behind her.

At the exact same moment, the resulting blast wave slammed into Chelsea, sending her flying through the air.

Hwaak-!

“Kuugh!”

“You appear to have great confidence in your swiftness, child.”

Chelsea, who managed to stabilize herself just moments before impacting the hard ground, shuddered as a voice resonated right behind her back.

When she spun her head around, Licinas was standing right there.

“However, if you place too much reliance on sheer velocity, you will instantly hit a wall when confronting someone who possesses superior speed.”

Thwack-!

Thump-!

“Keok?!”

“Just as you are experiencing now.”

Securing a grip on Chelsea’s hair, Licinas drove his knee viciously into her solar plexus without a hint of mercy.

Chelsea’s body was launched slightly upward before being driven forcefully down into the dirt.

Right at that split second.

Hwaak-!

“…!”

Chelsea’s physical form dissolved into rushing wind and vanished.

“A duplicate?”

Licinas’s eyes widened a fraction.

“Windbreaker!”

Kwagagagagagak-!

Chelsea’s sharp gales sliced ruthlessly across Licinas’s position.

“Exactly. I know there are plenty of people out there who are much quicker than I am. But my true strength isn’t simple speed!”

Chelsea’s ultimate advantage lay in her absolute freedom of movement, completely unhindered by any constraints, mirroring the wind itself.

Leveraging that boundless freedom, her greatest talent was engaging adversaries with erratic and unpredictable maneuvers.

Watching Licinas emerge completely unhurt from the dense cloud of debris that had kicked up, Chelsea clenched her jaw tightly.

‘I just have to hold out a little bit longer!’

Winning this battle was an impossibility.

Even if the adversary before her was an imitation, he was an illusion conjured directly by Leo.

A manifestation formed by the person who understood Licinas, the King of Wisdom, better than anyone else in existence.

‘It is no overstatement to claim that he is Lord Licinas in the flesh!’

The sole reason she had intentionally insulted Licinas by calling him ugly was to forcefully steel her own resolve.

It was a desperate effort to reject the reality of his overwhelming presence and somehow summon a shred of bravery.

Yet, that changed nothing.

She could barely manage to move using that manufactured bravery, but the reality remained that her opponent was a colossal powerhouse who could end her life at any moment he pleased.

Even under those circumstances, Chelsea had to stand her ground against him.

‘I am not certain what Brother Leo wishes to observe from my performance.’

But it was undeniable that he had directed her to this place to display something meaningful to those dragons.

‘If that is the case, I must execute what I have been taught.’

The principles she had absorbed while admiring and striving to emulate Leo.

The lessons she had grasped through her encounters with Arion and Luna.

The moment had arrived to manifest the countless truths Chelsea had witnessed and integrated into her own being.

There was simply no room to waste time wallowing in despair over the adversary’s staggering might.

Chelsea took a deep, stabilizing breath.

And then…

A melodic, beautiful tone escaped from Chelsea’s lips.

The ambient currents began to vibrate in perfect harmony with Chelsea.

Wheeoooh-!

Licinas let out a soft exhale, noting the way the wind was converging rapidly around Chelsea’s form.

‘My own voice no longer resonates clearly with the spirits of the wind.’

The gale grew increasingly violent.

Strangely, however, the space immediately surrounding Chelsea remained completely tranquil.

Observing Chelsea absorb the surrounding air currents, Licinas muttered softly to himself.

“It bears a striking resemblance to Luna’s sorcery.”

The sight of this girl, who was far too youthful to be labeled a legendary figure, held his gaze completely.

“Magnificent.”

The corners of Licinas’s mouth turned upward into a gentle expression.

“Let us discover if you can slip past this attack as well.”

Licinas’s shadow expanded upward, sharpening like a blade.

Kwagagagagagak-!

Cleaving straight through the wind, a volley of shadowy blades rained down upon Chelsea.

Hwaak-!

Chelsea directed the wind currents to slip away from the descending shadow blades.

Her shifting movements were the very definition of a breeze.

Chelsea steadily avoided the onslaught while closing the distance between herself and Licinas.

Swinging her staff forward, a massive crescent of wind rushed directly at Licinas.

“That is far too reckless. Is this a display of arrogance?”

Licinas questioned Chelsea.

However, Chelsea lacked the spare breath to offer a reply.

Licinas locked gazes with Chelsea, who was biting her lip and forcing out every drop of her remaining courage.

Within those eyes, he detected a deep-seated terror.

‘Arion…’

Licinas’s grin grew wider as the memory of his old friend naturally surfaced in his thoughts.

Kwagagagang-!

The shadow tore through the immediate environment.

Kwagagagang-!

The surrounding earth shattered and crumbled into ruin.

“Ugh…”

Chelsea was collapsed on the ground, letting out a low groan.

Her physical form, deeply lacerated by Licinas’s sorcery, refused to move according to her will.

Her staff had tumbled far from her grasp quite some time ago.

Gritting her teeth, Chelsea attempted to force herself up.

“It is futile; I have severed the majority of your tendons.”

Thump- thump-

Licinas strode unhurriedly toward Chelsea as he spoke.

Determined to face Licinas, Chelsea strained her unresponsive limbs, desperately trying to rise.

Beholding that sight, the image of another individual flashed through his mind.

‘…Kyle.’

“Ugh…”

Licinas extended his hand toward Chelsea, who was whimpering and struggling to lift herself up.

Woong- Flash-!

An intense radiance erupted from Licinas’s palm.

The moment Chelsea caught sight of it, she squeezed her eyelids shut in anticipation of the end.

Instead, Licinas knelt down and placed his palm gently atop Chelsea’s head.

“Superb work.”

“Huh?”

Chelsea opened her eyes and lifted her gaze.

Standing there was Licinas, sporting a smile so incredibly beautiful it could make anyone lose their train of thought.

Woong-!

A tender, comforting radiance emanated from Licinas’s hand, enveloping Chelsea’s entire body.

Her injuries mended in a matter of moments.

Licinas meticulously assisted Chelsea back to her feet.

“That was quite painful, wasn’t it? My apologies. I suspected you would notice the deception if I did not apply myself seriously.”

The suffocating pressure and command he had projected just moments ago had entirely vanished.

In its place stood a gentle warmth that naturally put anyone at ease.

Witnessing this transformation, Chelsea let out a bewildered, breathless laugh.

“As I thought… it makes no sense that I would be able to dodge Lord Licinas’s strikes in the first place. This was all a performance, correct?”

“Precisely. Without a doubt.”

Squeeze-

“However, I cannot simply overlook the fact that you labeled me hideous.”

“Ow! That hurts! It hurts, Lord Licinas!”

“I am pinching you precisely because it is meant to hurt, you disrespectful young lady.”

Licinas chuckled elegantly while masking his mouth with one hand, though his fingers showed no leniency whatsoever.

As if his irritation remained unresolved, a moment later he used both hands to firmly pinch both of Chelsea’s cheeks.

Chelsea, who had been flailing helplessly in the air, finally managed to wrench herself free and clutched her bright red cheeks, her face twisted in a tearful pout.

Right then, the pupils from Wisdom moved closer to them.

“Lord Licinas…”

Liden, leading the group, stood frozen, entirely unsure of how to carry himself.

Glancing at Liden’s conflicted state, Licinas inquired.

“Are you the youths who intend to walk the path I left behind?”

The Wisdom students found themselves utterly speechless.

Chelsea, whom they had quietly looked down upon, had confronted Licinas with absolute confidence and had even earned his praise.

Meanwhile, they had succumbed to panic and remained entirely useless.

Even in these circumstances, it was Chelsea who stood at the forefront, leading Liden.

Licinas offered a gentle smile as he observed the quiet Wisdom students.

“It appears you feel a sense of shame regarding something?”

“…Yes.”

“In that case, it is a favorable sign.”

“What?”

Liden, who had answered in a voice so faint it sounded as though he wished to vanish into the floorboards, widened his eyes in surprise and stared at Licinas.

“Feeling shame indicates that you recognize exactly what requires reflection. Starting next time, why not reflect beforehand so that you have no reason to feel ashamed?”

“Ah…”

“Lord Licinas.”

The Wisdom students were deeply stirred by his words.

They were fully aware that this environment was merely a fabrication.

Even so, the Licinas standing before them was the absolute embodiment of the ideal figure the Wisdom students envisioned.

Just as Licinas presented his benevolent smile.

The surrounding space began to warp.

It signified the conclusion of the illusion.

“The moment has come for us to go our separate ways.”

Licinas gently patted Chelsea on the head.

“Continue moving forward exactly as you are, Chelsea Rwalyn.”

“Ah, understood!”

As Chelsea gave her enthusiastic response, the entire surrounding space was abruptly pulled into absolute darkness.

‘Am I waking up from this dream now?’

Liden experienced a profound sense of sorrow.

‘Even if it was nothing more than an illusion, I truly wished to converse further with Lord Licinas…’

Thwack-!

“…?”

A sudden blow struck his head, causing a bewildered Liden to look around in confusion.

Thwack-! Thwack! Thwack!

“Keok? Kkeok?!”

The force of the strikes descending upon his head grew increasingly intense.

“St-stop! Pl-please st…op…!”

It was right around the moment Liden’s consciousness began to slip away, as he was pummeled without any ability to defend himself.

“Who do you think you are, speaking so arrogantly about guiding another individual, with such utter insolence?”

A melodious voice, laced with an undeniable undercurrent of malice, echoed nearby.

“He is the champion I selected myself. If you ever dare to covet him again, rest assured that the consequences will be far worse than this.”

Liden completely lost consciousness, listening to those bewildering words as his perception dissolved into nothingness.

Thump-!

“Keok?”

“Get up.”

Driana’s petite hand slammed mercilessly against Liden’s head.

Though it appeared small and delicate, possessing the raw strength of a dwarf, the strike felt akin to being struck squarely with a blacksmith’s hammer.

Jolted awake by the impact, Liden scrambled hastily to his feet.

“Are you fully conscious now?”

Leo strode over to the assembled Wisdom students.

“How did you find the examination?”

In response to his query, the Wisdom students lowered their heads in deep humiliation.

“We were incredibly foolish, Leo Flobe. We allowed ourselves to become overly narrow-minded and conceited.”

“Do not be overly harsh on yourselves; mistakes are natural for everyone.”

Leo let out a soft, amused chuckle.

“Even that renowned King of Wisdom was once mocked as a simpleton, was he not? The crucial factor is what you take away from it.”

“…”

Liden let out a self-deprecating laugh.

‘In reality, I am the one receiving guidance. To think I actually believed I could guide a person of this caliber.’

Feeling deeply mortified by his previous conduct, Liden spoke up.

“I am gaining an immense amount of knowledge from you.”

“There will be plenty of future opportunities to acquire knowledge.”

“Pardon?”

Leo signaled toward Driana.

Driana pulled several sheets of parchment from her attire and handed them out among the Wisdom students.

Upon inspecting the document, Siren displayed a thoroughly bewildered expression.

“What exactly is this?”

“Pacts. In the near future, the ‘Festival of Heroes,’ a grand tournament featuring various hero institutions, is scheduled to take place in Lumerun. You will have the chance to encounter numerous prospective heroes there.”

Hearing Leo’s explanation, the eyes of the Wisdom students went wide with astonishment.

“Observe the vastness of the world and expand your perspectives. That is precisely what you require at this moment.”

“You are actually granting us an opportunity of this magnitude?”

To the dumbfounded Liden, Driana personally flipped to the concluding page of the document and stated.

“All that is required of you is to place your signature right here.”

At those words, Liden closed his eyes tightly and exhaled a long breath.

‘Our dynamics have completely flipped.’

If they went through with this, they would place themselves in a position of being entirely managed by others.

It was an incredibly humiliating reality for Wisdom students whose entire purpose was to serve as guides for others.

And yet.

‘This will undoubtedly serve as the precise stepping stone I require for my personal advancement.’

With that thought cementing his resolve, Liden penned his signature without a single shred of reluctance.

The remaining Wisdom students followed suit, signing their names with very similar mindsets.

The moment they finished, Driana snatched the completed documents directly out of the Wisdom students’ hands.

Clap, clap, clap-

Right at that instant, the sound of rhythmic clapping echoed from behind their positions.

The Wisdom students whirled around, their eyes expanding in shock, before immediately dropping to their knees and bowing low to the ground.

“We greet you, Lord!”

As the Wisdom students offered their synchronized salute, Melina erupted into a wave of laughter.

“There is absolutely no need to be so formal, everyone.”

Melina stepped toward the gathering of pupils and remarked.

“I am confident that the insights you acquired this day will serve as a monumental asset to you moving forward.”

Hearing her commentary, the Wisdom students felt overwhelmed by their own inadequacy and found themselves unable to raise their gazes.

Melina shifted her attention toward Leo.

-Are you content now?

-Indeed! I am incredibly grateful to you! Lord Leo!

Leo and Melina exchanged thoughts directly through telepathic sorcery.

‘This individual… truly is the fitting counterpart to Lord Licinas.’

Leo’s current demeanor, instructing the Wisdom students, strongly evoked the memory of Licinas.

It was a natural resemblance.

After all, they were bound to mirror one another.

‘Without a doubt, Lord Leo’s sole proper instructor could only be Lord Licinas.’

Melina, who had been maintaining a subtle smile, suddenly found a particular query bubbling up in her mind.

-However, Lord Leo.

-What is it?

-You are extending an invitation to the Wisdom students for the Festival of Heroes, so what was the purpose of binding them with those contracts?

-Ah. I merely replicated the signature technique of that wretched reptile.

-…

Upon receiving Leo’s response, Melina felt an inexplicable sense of dread wash over her.

“Driana, hand over those contracts so I may inspect them.”

She then took the documents directly from Driana’s grasp, almost wrenching them away.

After scanning the specific details outlined within the agreement, Melina’s face went entirely blank.

-Lord Leo.

-What is it?

-Is this not simply an agreement for indentured servitude?

-Precisely. We are entering an incredibly hectic period, and I have just secured some top-tier manual labor.

-Is this not blatant deception?

-Dazzling your target with inspiration and then striking them from behind. That is the classic methodology of Licinas. Moving forward, ensure that contract literacy is thoroughly integrated into the Wisdom curriculum.

-…And what is the meaning behind this clause regarding nude modeling?

-Driana, that creature, I suspected something was amiss when she adamantly insisted on drafting the text herself.

Leo shook his head in disapproval.

“Return them to me, give them back immediately.”

In the meantime, Driana reclaimed the agreements from Melina’s hands and pulled them possessively against her torso.

Her posture suggested she was cradling an invaluable treasure.

Melina cast her gaze over the Wisdom students, who still looked deeply moved by the experience, and pondered silently to herself.

-This… this surely cannot be the approach Lord Licinas would take.

-Have you never witnessed Licinas executing a fraudulent scheme?

-…

-I have witnessed it on countless occasions.

Faced with Leo’s retort, Melina could only stare up at the heavens in absolute silence.

‘I am already well advanced in years, far past the age of maturity. Why does it feel as though I am only truly growing up this very day?’

Melina felt a distinct sensation that something incredibly precious had been stripped away from her on this day.