Chapter 18

【18】17

Students split into two groups around Leo and Duran.

There was a rising excitement for the title match between the Freshman Representative and the top freshman.

“Who do you think will win?”

“I think Duran!”

“Right? He was famous even before admission!”

“Still, he’s the Freshman Representative, won’t he show something?”

“Come on. He wasn’t even first in the entrance exam, right? And I heard he hasn’t even mastered the Aura Step.”

All the first-year students predicted Duran’s victory.

Amidst this, Celia asked with concern.

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“You just learned the Aura Step theoretically a moment ago.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll win.”

Duran pointed to a large tree stuck against the far wall of the training ground.

“The way of the competition is simple. The one who circles that tree and comes back here first wins.”

“Got it.”

The two warmed up before the race.

Leo removed the bracelets from his wrists and ankles, recalling the Aura Step theory professor Ain had taught him.

After the warm-up, as the two stood at the starting line, a student acting as the referee raised his hand.

“Ready.”

Leo tensed his muscles.

“Go!”

The two kicked off the ground and ran simultaneously.

At the start, Leo was ahead.

Duran frowned at Leo’s back.

‘He’s uncharacteristically fast.’

“Nice! So fast!”

“Go Leo Oppa!”

Kal shouted, clenching his fist, while Chelsea jumped up and down in delight.

However, Celia’s expression remained dark.

‘Duran still hasn’t used the Aura Step.’

At this moment, both were solely relying on their physical strength.

Leo’s physical abilities were impressive enough that even Celia admitted he was exceptional.

So it was only natural that Leo was fast without using the Aura Step.

But he had only secured an early lead.

As Duran activated his aura, the distance between them quickly closed.

Zzzzzt—! Golden sparks enveloped Duran’s legs.

It was the aura of lightning.

“I’m going ahead, slowpoke.”

Duran mocked as he surged forward.

Duran, who turned the corner much faster than Leo, dashed with incredible speed.

Anyone could see it was Leo’s defeat.

Just then, Leo accelerated explosively towards the training ground wall.

“Aura Step? Didn’t they say he couldn’t use the class representative’s Aura Step?”

“Was that a lie?”

The students murmured, and Celia widened her eyes.

‘No way, that monster is really learning something that fast!’

As she screamed internally.

Even when the training ground wall was close at hand, Leo showed no signs of slowing down.

Bam bam bam bam!

“Wait, he can’t stop, can he?”

“He’s going to crash into it!”

Watching Leo rush towards the wall at an alarming speed, the students screamed.

Boom-!

At that moment, Leo concentrated his strength in his legs and leaped.

And with both feet against the wall, he lifted his head to see Duran’s back.

Crack-!

As Leo leaped with such force that cracks appeared on the wall, he used that momentum to chase after Duran.

Students who witnessed it were astonished.

Duran, looking back at that reaction, froze.

He saw Leo coming at him as if he were a b*llet.

‘This guy!’

Though startled by the unexpected pursuit, Duran soon regained his composure.

‘He lost his acceleration when landing!’

Since Duran was maintaining his speed, there was no concern about being caught.

Leo kicked off the ground again and charged forward.

Now that he had activated the Aura Step, his speed was incomparable to before.

But the distance to Duran didn’t close.

Now, there was only half the distance left to the starting line.

“Come on, Leo!”

“Run, Duran!”

Students split into groups cheering loudly.

Celia bit her lip slightly.

‘No, he can’t catch up.’

Leo was aware of that fact too.

Whoosh-!

At that moment, flames blossomed at the tips of Leo’s toes.

‘The technique Professor Ain used when he walked in the air earlier.’

Leo recalled the demonstration Professor Ain had displayed.

Trying to replicate that now would be impossible.

After all, Leo was only a beginner with the Aura Step.

But he could take reference from Professor Ain’s technique.

Activating Phoenix Breath, Leo concentrated his aura at the tips of his toes.

Fwoosh-!

And…….

‘I’m kicking off the ground!’

Boom-! Boom!

The sudden explosion caught the students off guard.

Celia gaped.

‘Phoenix Step? Leo hasn’t mastered that yet!’

Boom-! Boom-!

Small explosions resonated in succession.

In response, Leo began to accelerate dramatically.

Burning off all the little aura he had inside, Leo caught up to Duran’s back.

“Ugh? This guy!”

“I’m going ahead, slowpoke.”

Leo smiled slightly as he powerfully kicked the ground.

Boom-!

“Leo Flove!”

Duran’s eyes widened as he shouted, closely tailing Leo.

The distance hadn’t increased, but he couldn’t keep up with Leo, who was gaining true acceleration.

Leo’s aura flames and Duran’s lightning aura intertwined in the air as they dashed forward.

And by a narrow margin, Leo crossed the starting line first.

“Wow!”

“Crazy! He’s so fast!”

The students exclaimed in admiration.

“Haah-! Haah-!”

Duran breathed heavily as he glared at Leo.

Leo, too, placed his hands on his knees, sweating profusely while taking deep breaths.

“Wow! That’s amazing! He really was fast, right? Duran is supposed to be the fastest among first years, but he beat that?”

Kal exclaimed excitedly while Celia said, “If it were a long-distance race, he wouldn’t have won.”

“Hmm?”

“Celia’s right. Duran has way more aura capacity.”

Leo nodded at Celia’s words.

“Still, I won. See? I said I would win.”

“Oh come on, that’s impressive.”

Celia shook her head while looking at Leo, who was so proud.

“Leo Oppa! Here’s water!”

“Thanks.”

Receiving the water bottle handed to him by Chelsea, Leo smiled gently.

“He looks cool even to a guy. He should be popular with the girls. Is this the feeling of being a gallant gentleman?”

Kal admired, and Chelsea shook her head.

“He’s not a gentleman.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“He threatened me to set my rear end on fire in order to gain my cooperation during the entrance exam.”

Chelsea said with a pout, her expression painful.

Hearing that, Kal muttered, “A perverted gentleman.”

After class, Leo sat in the student café.

In no time, the story of Leo and Duran spread throughout the school.

“From the first day, he’s the center of attention, right?”

Kal said, giving a thumbs up, while Chelsea, sipping fruit juice through a straw, spoke up.

“Leo Oppa’s performance was definitely impressive.”

“Hey, Chelsea LeWalyn. I’ve been noticing this for a while, but why do you call Leo Oppa but call me by my name?”

“My choice.”

Chelsea stuck her tongue out.

“What the!”

“If you don’t like it, then you should also call our brother ‘Oppa’ too!”

“Just call me by my name comfortably.”

Celia shrugged resignedly.

“The next class is Summoning Studies, but no one is taking it, right?”

Kal checked his schedule from his pocket and asked.

“I am.”

The three looked at Leo with expressions that said, ‘What good is that going to do?’

Knight classes teach skills, while magic classes improve magical responses.

That’s why they’re popular as minors, while Summoning Studies is useless for those without talent.

Seeing their reactions, Leo brought the straw to his mouth and mused.

‘I wonder what their expressions would be if I said I was taking all three majors.’

After parting ways with the three, he made his way straight to the classroom.

As he did, he recalled the reward he received for passing the entrance exam.

Originally, there are no rewards for conquering the Hero’s World while it is alive.

‘But I did receive a reward.’

Something unusual had occurred.

Moreover, there was another question related to the reward.

‘Why is it specifically a pact with the Fairy King?’

Rewards obtained in the Hero’s World are related to the powers held by the world’s master.

‘Professor Alby is a pure wizard.’

He should have gained abilities related to magic originally.

But the reward Leo received was summoning abilities.

The last recorded contract holder with the Fairy King in history was none other than Luna.

The pact with the Fairy King, which had been severed since the Era of Catastrophe, had manifested in Leo.

‘However, a pact alone cannot establish a contract.’

A catalyst related to familiars is essential for summoning them.

The summoning catalyst for a fairy is a leaf from the World Tree.

The World Tree disappeared during the Era of Catastrophe due to Erebus.

To contract with a fairy now, one would need to visit Fairy Land, where the fairies reside.

‘But Fairy Land is the territory of elves, which humans cannot enter. Even if one goes, they can’t guarantee meeting the Fairy King.’

As it stands, the reward is useless.

“Are you going to take Summoning Studies as well?”

Someone spoke from behind.

Turning around in confusion, there stood a female student.

‘Let’s see… she’s definitely the top of the eastern classes, right?’

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