【108】107.
“There are a lot of energetic kids this year too.”
Berga, a beastman with cat ears and a tail, commented while checking some documents.
The Cat clan is usually known for their slender, elegant beastmen.
But Berga was different.
He stood nearly 2 meters tall, with a large and burly build.
He was so big that he could have been mistaken for a bear beastman rather than a cat one.
His face was extremely fierce, and the scar over his left eye only added to his intimidating appearance.
“R-right away, I’ll punish those boys! Instructor Berga!”
Algaya, a cat beastman assistant instructor, stood up straight with her ears and tail perked up as she shouted.
Berga was feared by both students and assistant instructors alike.
“Why should they be punished?”
“Huh?”
Berga grunted.
Three years ago, he had become an instructor at Azonia’s request. He was a hero whose name was recorded in the Hero Record.
He pursued only one value in education: strength.
That’s why he was respected by many Azonia students.
Berga rose from his seat and walked towards the window.
Swish-!
Waaaaaaaaaah-!
When he opened the window, the cheers that had been blocked by a soundproofing magic spell rushed in.
As he listened to the noise, Berga’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Struggle is what Azonia should aspire to!”
Algaya swallowed hard at Berga’s words.
‘As expected from Instructor Berga! The instructor most suited for Azonia!’
The Colosseum was filled with spectators.
And right in the middle, the freshmen candidates were entering.
Soon, the iron bars opened, and a mammoth from Tartarus appeared.
It was a mammoth captured alive in Azonia.
The freshmen candidates spread out quickly upon seeing the mammoth.
They then began hunting it, each wielding their own weapon.
They drove the mammoth back, showing off their individual skills.
Each time a flashy skill was used, the spectators cheered.
Kuuuung-!
Once Berga saw the mammoth fall, he asked:
“How long did it take to bring it down?”
“It took 36 minutes!”
“How are the current scores for the ten students in the free-class exercise?”
“They’re all in the upper-middle ranks!”
“Hmph. Not to my liking.”
“Huh? 36 minutes is a decent score, isn’t it?”
“Tch. That’s only under normal circumstances. Didn’t you hear the story of this year’s Lumeran freshmen, Instructor Algaya?”
Algaya shut her mouth at Berga’s words.
The famous issue was that the Lumeran freshmen had successfully completed a Gigantes raid.
If it hadn’t been an official event, they probably wouldn’t have believed Lumeran could achieve it so easily.
It was simply an absurdly great event.
“Besides, Seirun isn’t to be underestimated either. Especially that Reina girl, the daughter of Ellen, I’ve heard she’s exceptionally talented.”
Thinking of the elf hero he had competed against for so long, Berga snorted.
“It’s only right that we have many outstanding students among this year’s freshmen, too!”
For the dignity of their races was at stake, and it was only natural that hero academies had a strong sense of competition against each other.
Algaya nodded at Berga’s words.
“Indeed, this generation has an aura of Lumeran leading the way! But our candidates are splendid too! Especially this time!”
Waaaaaaaaah-!
“There’s even your daughter, Instructor Berga, in attendance!”
At Algaya’s words, Berga snorted.
“Of course!”
Even to Berga, his daughter Ar seemed to be someone with abilities surpassing even his own.
“She’ll surely become the class representative without issue!”
While admiring his daughter with pride, Berga’s attention was caught by a rabbit beastman boy with black hair entering last.
The moment he saw the boy, Berga unconsciously drew in a breath.
“Instructor?”
“Algaya. Do you know anything about the half-breed boy who came in last?”
“Huh? I don’t recognize him…”
Algaya nervously searched the candidate list.
She had already memorized the faces and names of the more skilled candidates.
If she didn’t know this student, it meant he was likely someone from the lower ranks or someone with only a recommendation for admission.
While Algaya was furiously flipping through the list,
Berga narrowed his eyes as he looked at the boy.
‘Those eyes…they resemble Reina’s!’
During his school days, he had admired Reina, the class representative of Lumeran and his own goal.
Then Berga realized:
‘Ah, Reina had also received an admission recommendation to Azonia, didn’t she?’
Berga’s eyes widened as he recalled something from long ago.
‘Could this be Reina’s son?!’
“Waaaah!”
“You’re gonna be something special!”
“Show us your prowess!”
As Leo entered the arena and saw the beastmen cheering, he looked around with a puzzled expression.
Leaning against the wall, Leo thought in confusion.
‘Is this also part of the enrollment ceremony? I thought the Azonia enrollment only involved a desert-crossing marathon?’
Looking around, he noticed the other candidates busy showing off in front of the audience.
There were those showing off their weapons with flashy movements and others boasting of their sharp claws.
Among them, there were familiar faces.
‘Those guys who messed with me earlier are here too.’
Three beastmen who had picked a fight with him earlier were boasting their strength.
Of course, there were other familiar faces too.
Ar, the cat girl with light footwork who had elicited cheers from the audience, was also present.
Ar, who had been hopping around, noticed Leo leaning against the wall and greeted him with a bright smile.
“How did we end up in the same group?”
“Is this also part of the Azonia enrollment ceremony?”
“Uh…what are you talking about?”
“I thought the enrollment ceremony only involved a desert-crossing marathon.”
Hearing Leo’s words, Ar’s expression grew puzzled.
“This isn’t the enrollment ceremony! It’s called the Monster Carnival!”
“Monster Carnival?”
“Didn’t you know? Are you even a beastman?”
“I’m half-bl**d, so I mainly lived in human society and don’t know much about beastman culture.”
“The Azonia enrollment ceremony isn’t just an enrollment. It’s one of the greatest festivals!”
“Woah!”
“Every year, countless beastmen visit Azrek just to witness the enrollment ceremony! This festival is one of the many events to entertain those visitors!”
Crack-!
“And while it’s a festival for them, it’s also a rite of passage for us, the incoming freshmen!”
“Rite of passage?”
“Exactly! The threat from Tartarus continues, so we are using this enrollment ceremony to shout out to our kindred!”
Placing her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest, Ar declared loudly,
“We’re here!”
“Hoo?”
Leo let out an impressed sound.
At that moment, Boom-! Boom-!
The earth shook.
The freshmen who had been showing off their skills to the audience became tense.
Smiling confidently, Ar also prepared for battle.
Clanggg! Clanggg!
Cryyyoooorrrr!
A 3-meter-tall monster with orange skin appeared as the iron bars opened.
“Quicklops! This’ll be fun!”
Ar, wearing a fierce smile, poked Leo on the nose.
“Don’t chicken out like you did last time! Show me your best, Black Rabbit!”
She winked with one eye and lunged at the Quicklops.
“We’re here.”
Leo smirked.
‘Since it’s not actually the enrollment ceremony, I don’t necessarily need to get involved.’
The reason Leo attended Azonia’s enrollment was to personally witness the hero candidates of other races.
‘I’ll watch from the sidelines as the Azonia freshmen display their skills.’
Though there wasn’t anything particularly special, he had to search for someone capable of inheriting Aron’s techniques.
“The ultimate goal is the complete eradication of Erebus.”
To achieve this, he needed comrades.
Certainly, Kyle managed to successfully hunt down Erebus as the final Great Hero because he had received the essence of power his comrades left behind.
Even then, the optimal solution at the time was to seal Erebus in multiple fragments.
It would be impossible for Leo, even if he regained the power of Kyle’s era, to completely annihilate Erebus alone.
“I need new Great Heroes.”
To that end, he needed individuals who could receive the essence of power from the friends he knew.
In a sense, Leo himself was the embodiment of multiple Great Heroes.
So quietly, Leo observed the nine freshmen who were fighting the Quicklops.
As Leo carefully scrutinized the movements of Azonia’s freshmen, he nodded his head.
“Their skills are on par with Lumeran students.”
They had survived the free classes taught in Azonia over the past six months.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that they had received a similar level of education as the first-year students of Lumeran.
“And that one is clearly on another level.”
Leo’s eyes lit up.
Ar skillfully slashed the Quicklops with ora at the tips of her sharp claws.
‘She hasn’t shown her full potential yet.’
Ar was more than capable of handling the Quicklops alone.
With numerical superiority, it was almost playtime for her.
With each swing, the tough skin of the Quicklops was being torn apart.
Had it not been for the creature’s tenacious vitality, it would have died a long time ago.
As Leo leisurely watched the fight,
Swish-!
Something flew toward Leo.
He turned to see that the audience was showering him with jeers.
“What are you?”
“While others are fighting hard, why are you just watching?”
“Scaredy-cat rabbit!”
The audience’s dissatisfaction burst out as there were nine students fighting the Quicklops but Leo was standing idly by.
Beastmen, who value strength above all, detest cowardice more than anything.
As Leo scratched his head at their reaction,
Gooooh!
Suddenly, the Quicklops charged straight at Leo.
When the Quicklops reached Leo, it hoisted its massive hand.
Seeing this, Leo let out a light sigh and raised his ora.
“You stupid rabbit!”
Zzzzlit!
Ar, who was at the forefront, glared at the calm Leo standing behind her.
It was the same for the other freshmen as well.
It was impossible for them to view favorably the sight of Leo standing leisurely, as if the fight had nothing to do with him.
“Completely disappointing!”
Ar, who had initially found Leo quite appealing, let her cat ears droop.
The other freshmen felt the same way about Leo’s actions.
“That coward! Not acceptable!”
“Let’s teach him a lesson!”
A few beastmen glared with malicious intent.
Then, they shoved the Quicklops, which was trying to fight nine people at once, towards the vulnerable and unassuming Leo.
The Quicklops, upon seeing Leo standing alone, immediately charged.
Gooooh!
Seeing how the Quicklops had only been on the receiving end until now, a fierce murderous intent now clouded its eyes.
Swishhh!
Seeing the Quicklops raise its hand over Leo, Ar hurriedly leapt.
“What are you going to do? Either dodge or counter! If you don’t, you’ll be-”
Boom!
The audience and the freshmen alike wore expressions of shock.
When Leo swung his fist, the Quicklops’ arm didn’t just get crushed—it exploded.
With a single hit, Leo had instantly killed the Quicklops in a scene that was pure awe.
“Oooohhhh…!”
“Waaaaaahhhhh!”
Deafening cheers erupted.
Ar’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t because Leo had effortlessly defeated the Quicklops in one hit.
She could do that too, so it wasn’t surprising.
What astonished her…
“Just then…”
Only Ar, who was facing Leo directly, noticed the change that occurred in his body.
With an expression of disbelief, Ar hastily looked toward Leo, who had covered his right eye.
“It’s clear… Just now, that guy, activated a transformation!”
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
