Chapter 107

【107】106.

“Is this the Azonia admission recommendation letter?”

“Yeah. When mom was younger, she helped Azonia out, and back then, it was almost forced, but we ended up receiving an admission recommendation.”

Reina, scratching her head, spoke to the spirit.

“My son is already attending Lumeran, so he can’t attend Azonia.”

[I see.]

The spirit nodded as if understanding.

[After signing the admission notice, please come to Azrek in three days.]

“It’s not working.”

“It’s because it’s a messenger spirit.”

“Hmm, it’ll just report as instructed.”

“Anyway, how did you find out I turned fifteen and choose me as a candidate?”

“When we received the recommendation letter, a contract similar to a pact with the spirit was made. Through the bl**d-engraved contract, she knew you turned fifteen.”

Reina grumbled while Leo stuck out his tongue at her.

“Contracts should not be made recklessly.”

“Did I know this would happen?”

With a smile, Leo glanced at Reina’s muttering and began examining the letter from Azonia, then stroked his chin.

“So, this means I’m qualified to attend Azonia’s enrollment ceremony?”

“Yeah, you can just ignore it. If you don’t register, they’ll find another recommended entrant.”

Leo said, looking at Reina shrugging her shoulders.

“Sounds interesting though, huh?”

“What?”

Seeing Leo smiling, Reina looked at him in surprise.

“What do you mean by that?”

“It’s a rare opportunity.”

“Don’t you think with your skills as a year representative at Lumeran, you’ll definitely pass the entrance exam?”

“It’s an experience, isn’t it? If you drop out midway, your enrollment will be canceled. And anyway, you don’t have to reveal that you’re Leo Flove.”

“Thought I’d spend the vacation well with my son for once.”

Reina muttered.

“I’ll go to Azrek in three days.”

With Leo’s words, the messenger spirit nodded and disappeared from the spot, returning to its summoner upon dismissal.

‘Azonia, huh. I wonder how the Beastman hero candidates are doing.’

*

The city of Azrek, located at the southernmost tip of the continent, surrounded by sea and desert, was one of the largest cities on the continent.

This was because all trade between the west and the east passed through this city.

Naturally, the city prospered.

It was a major city wielding immense influence, almost like the famed city of Rumelia.

The difference between Rumelia City and Azrek was the presence of various races residing here.

Upon arriving in Azrek through the warp gate, Leo smiled as he walked through the city streets.

‘How peaceful.’

For Leo, seeing such a bustling metropolis was a kind of pleasure.

This liveliness was, after all, one proof that Kyle and his comrades had saved the world.

As he walked through the streets, Leo arrived at the central square.

In the central square, many people had gathered.

They were all offering flowers to a statue of a wolf Beastman in the center of the square.

Sharp eyes, pointed fangs jutting out, standing upright with a fierce face roaring—it was someone very familiar to Leo.

‘Aron.’

Aron the Brave.

The racial hero of the Beastmen and one of the Great Heroes who once saved the world.

At the sight of Aron roaring, Leo laughed.

“What’s this statue doing here? It doesn’t suit him at all.”

In this era, Aron was recorded as an extremely courageous individual.

If even the gods called Aron ‘the Brave,’ it wasn’t odd at all.

Leo bought a flower from a nearby merchant and went to his friend’s statue.

In front of the statue, an inscription was written to honor Aron the Brave, known for his unyielding courage.

‘Unyielding courage? Ha. The guy shook like a leaf in every battle.’

Chuckling, Leo placed the flower.

Aron, who was a coward beyond anyone else, showed bravery beyond anyone else when it came to his friends, and it was from his demeanor the Great Heroes drew their courage.

‘Things… cough. Don’t cry, guys. Protecting you was my job. And I’m sorry… for not keeping my promise to protect you until the end.’

Recalling Aron apologizing even as he lay dying, Leo gave a wry smile.

After offering flowers to the statue of his friend, Leo left the central square.

He proceeded to move to find the dormitory where Azonia Academy candidates were staying.

‘They said the test would start in three days, right?’

The admission notice arrived two days before now.

If enrollment wasn’t completed by tomorrow, the admission would be invalidated.

‘Which way should I go?’

After pondering, Leo decided to head where the most kids his age were.

Azrek was the examination site.

With various Beastman nations hosting free lectures, it was a natural gathering spot for enrollment candidates.

As expected, there was a place where many people who seemed to be Azonia candidates were gathered.

Seeing the building, Leo paused for a moment, looking dumbfounded.

‘Colosseum?’

The students were heading towards Azrek’s Colosseum.

“Move, you Hybrid.”

Leo ignored the voice from behind, thinking it wasn’t directed at him.

‘Why the Colosseum?’

Pok!

“Move, I said!”

But when someone pushed his back irritably, Leo furrowed his brow and turned around.

There, three werewolf Beastman youths about Leo’s age stood.

Seeing their smiles dripping with mockery, Leo questioned.

“What did you just say?”

“I called you a Hybrid. Upset?”

“Derkin, stop. It might hurt the Hybrid’s feelings. Hehehe.”

“You’re the worst!”

At the center boy’s words, the two wolf Beastman youths, a boy and a girl on the sides, giggled.

Seeing this, Leo started to clean his ear with his baby finger but stopped.

There was no ear where it should have been.

Instead, higher up on his head, he had “rabbit ears.”

Currently, Leo had transformed perfectly into a mixed Beastman.

He had polymorphed into a half breed with Kiran’s help.

The process turned his white hair into black hair.

If asked why it had to be a rabbit, the answer was simple.

It was Reina’s preference.

Thinking of his mother, Leo sighed and said.

“Why don’t you watch your words?”

“Huh?”

Seeing Leo, who wasn’t afraid at all, the tall wolf Beastman youth on the left had his eyes twitching.

“A fearful Hybrid rabbit showing off some guts? But you’ve chosen the wrong opponent to defy!”

Snap!

“We’re attending the Azonia enrollment ceremony this time, that’s what I’m saying!”

The tall Beastman youth grabbed the rabbit ears on Leo’s head and glared intently.

Azonia Enrollment.

That alone was a very big deal among Beastmen.

Because they had earned the right by breaking through the hellish free lectures.

“So?”

But Leo’s reaction was lukewarm.

Being an Azonia candidate wasn’t very impressive or threatening to the head representative of Lumeran.

“What?”

“Even if you attend the enrollment ceremony, what? Are you already a student of Azonia?”

The boy was startled by Leo’s question.

“You’re not even a student of Azonia, what makes you so full of yourself?”

“You son of a…! Kuhk!”

Incensed by Leo’s words, the boy raised his fists, but before they could throw them, Leo’s foot kicked into his stomach.

The body of the tall Beastman youth bent into a ‘ㄱ’ shape.

Leo then slammed an elbow into the bent youth’s back.

With a simple effort, Leo had taken down the wolf youth and murmured.

“If this is the caliber of Azonia entrance candidates, I’m slightly disappointed.”

“You d*mn Hybrid!”

The mood turned sour.

The two students who had openly claimed to be Azonia candidates triggered their auras.

Curious onlookers around were staring with interest.

“What are you guys doing?”

At that moment, a clear voice from a girl was heard.

A girl with white cat ears and a tail quickly interjected between Leo and the wolf Beastmen.

This made the female wolf Beastman scream.

“Who are you?”

“I’m…!”

“Isn’t that Ar Tune?”

“Of the Tune family? Looking at the resemblance, it fits.”

“Isn’t she one of this year’s recommended candidates?”

As the surrounding Beastmen began murmuring, Arga, who was about to introduce herself, stopped and perked up her ears.

With the look of a cat, Ar noticed everyone recognizing her and her tail wagged joyfully.

But it was brief.

Seeing the three wolf Beastmen, she raised her white tail, clearly agitated.

“Do you not think it’s dishonorable to attack one person with three?”

“Hey, this Hybrid kid attacked my friend first…,”

“Didn’t I see the whole argument? And, moreover,”

Arga’s eyes grew icy.

“Do you call your own kind ‘Hybrid’?”

Arga’s eyes showed disdain.

Seeing this, Derkin flinched, hesitated for a moment, and then shouted, “I, uh… remembered I have an urgent bathroom break!” and hastily left the scene.

“Let’s go!”

The girl, frightened, pulled the fallen large guy and followed.

Laughter erupted among the spectators.

Looking at their retreat, Ar let out a mocking laugh.

“How did they manage to pass the free lectures?”

As the crowd gathered for the fight dispersed, Ar approached Leo.

“You’re also an enrollment candidate, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmph! You’ve got some vitality! Not backing down against three!”

Arga nodded with satisfaction, stretching her chest, and placing her hands on her hips.

“Not really a reason to back off.”

Even if Ar had not helped, Leo could have easily pounded just those three.

“Was worried there would only be boring people, but it’s nice! You’ll pass the enrollment! Black Rabbit!”

Arga’s eyes, which showed a cat-like smile, suddenly changed their pupil into a cat’s form.

Her gaze shifted towards a desert butterfly fluttering in the air.

Instinctively, Ar swung her left hand to try and catch the butterfly.

However, the butterfly avoided her hand.

Arga’s tail shot up as she pursued the butterfly while saying,

“I’ll be off then!”

While watching Ar chase the butterfly like a cat, Leo chuckled.

“Still following instincts, huh?”

If seen by another race, Ar’s behavior could appear frivolous, but the other Beastmen watched her with serious eyes.

Among the candidate’s gazes, two distinct feelings interlaced:

Reverence and competitiveness.

‘Rumelian and Seirun are different.’

To humans, Rumelian students were objects of admiration and support.

For elves, Seirun students were respected individuals who carried the legacy of their revered ancestors.

And for Beastmen…

‘They’re objects of worship.’

A hero, before creating any change, was someone who possessed a powerful and great force.

Thus, the attitude of Beastmen towards hero candidates also split into two:

The desire to defeat a strong adversary and the act of honoring a great one.

‘Certainly unique.’

Leo, crossing his arms, lit up his eyes.

It was a completely different atmosphere than in Rumelia.

‘Coming here was a good idea.’

With a smile, Leo set off toward the candidate dormitory to register for the enrollment ceremony.