Chapter 263

“Who’s next?”

After knocking down Borman, Duran asked coldly.

“This should be interesting.”

“Maybe I should go next.”

The Azonia students showed an excited reaction at Duran’s strength.

‘They’re definitely different from the kids at our school.’

Duran smiled as he saw this.

The Lumeran students don’t try to fight with overwhelmingly strong individuals if they can avoid it.

If there’s no way to avoid it, they fight without hesitation, but normally, they don’t unnecessarily pick fights.

However, Azonia students are even more fired up to fight despite the immense power gap.

‘This is fun.’

Duran grinned ferociously.

At that smile, the Azonia students who were rushing to fight Duran hesitated briefly, momentarily overwhelmed by Duran’s aura.

But soon after, when they were about to stand in front of Duran excitedly,

“Duran!”

Chen Sia called out to Duran.

“Clara managed to escape on her own. They say all the Azonia students who caused trouble have been turned into frozen humans, so there’s no more reason to fight with Azonia students.”

“Hmph. These guys are all riled up regardless of that.”

Duran smirked.

At this, Chen Sia smiled faintly.

“You don’t need to worry about that. The boss cat will be here soon.”

“Boss cat?”

Kang-!

Duran’s question was soon answered.

This was the hotel garden where Azonian students were staying.

Arga appeared at the hotel gate, kicking it down with blazing blue eyes.

“Hey, you bastards! Didn’t I tell you not to cause trouble?”

“Gurk… Was I unconscious…?”

Just as Borman, who had regained consciousness, was clutching his head and trying to get up.

Whoosh-! Whack-!

“Ck?!”

Arga ran up with narrow eyes and kicked Borman’s jaw.

Bang-!

Borman, who had barely regained consciousness, rolled his eyes and fainted again.

Arga rushed into the group of Azonia students and began hitting them indiscriminately.

“It’s unacceptable for you to just beat up students from other factions even if you’re the class representative…”

“Shut up!”

“GRRRRRAAAAHH!”

Arga swiped the protesting student’s face with her sharpened nails.

Arga trampled on the heads of the students clutching their faces and shouted fiercely.

“Do you know what you’ve done?! You kidnapped a Lumeran student and started a fight with the Lumeran students who came searching for their friends! Can you take responsibility if there’s a diplomatic issue?!”

Arga, revealing her sharp teeth and flashing blue eyes, roared like spewing fire.

Arga’s voice dominated the scene.

The Azonian students stepped back in fear.

Duran shook off Ar’s overpowering aura with an aura of his own.

“Howl.”

The unique ore skill passed on by the long-ago hero Aron to beastmen.

But not all beastmen can use it.

Only an extremely small number of beastmen can use howling.

“Those born with the qualities of a leader.”

That’s why beastmen who can use Hauling are special.

‘And the abilities vary with each user.’

The basic effect is striking fear into the enemy.

Subduing the enemy with a powerful shout.

But there are other effects depending on the individual.

There are effects like enhancing one’s own attack power, defense power, or agility.

A kind of buff effect.

Duran twirled his sword in his hand.

‘The strongest of the second-year students at Azonia.’

Duran was also well aware of the reputation of Ar.

‘They say she’s a terrifying monster?’

Duran’s golden eyes opened narrowly.

‘And Leo Flove defeated her.’

Thinking this far, Duran opened his mouth.

“Ar Tune.”

“Hm?”

Ar looked over at Duran’s call.

Then, swinging her white tail, she said,

“I saw you over winter break. It seems our damned beasts caused you trouble. As a class representative, I apologize…”

“There’s no need for apologies. We’ve already beaten you guys up pretty thoroughly anyway.”

Before meeting Borman, Celia and Chen Xia defeated dozens of Azonian students.

Additionally, Chloe managed to escape on her own, they say.

Considering Chloe’s nature, she wouldn’t have escaped quietly.

We’ve already repaid them enough.

Lumeran also didn’t want this little incident turning into a large diplomatic issue.

“Ah, thanks for understanding…”

Swoosh-

“What is this?”

Arga opened her eyes narrowly at Duran’s sword pointed at her.

“I want to fight you.”

Duran said coldly as he grinned.

‘They’re more aggressive than our school kids… No, more than that. He seems dangerous.’

Arga’s grin widened slowly.

Pak-!

Kwang-!

Arga punched Duran’s sword away with her fist.

Duran gripped his sword tightly.

‘So it’s true.’

He tightened his grip feeling the tingling sensation in his hand.

‘She really is a monster as the rumors say.’

At the sudden change in Ar’s aura, Duran gave a fierce smile.

Seeing this, Ar lowered her stance and grinned ferociously.

“The atmosphere has changed.”

Celia looked surprised.

During last winter break, she had seen Ar several times.

‘There wasn’t an opportunity for a duel though.’

The Ar she saw back then was different from the Ar now.

Though she recognized Ar’s strength, she felt Ar lacked charisma as a Grade representative from Azonia.

She often seemed scatterbrained as she would get flustered whenever Leo teased her calling her ‘idiot cat’.

However, now Ar seemed completely different.

The fierce atmosphere coming from her even made her instinctively sweat cold.

“That’s quite a terrifying cat.”

Chen Xia, with a smiling face as usual, said, while Ruwen, sitting with her tail curled, replied while stroking it.

“It couldn’t be any other way. There’s a reason people call her the ‘boss cat’ aside from faction students.”

Ruwen’s words made Chen Xia tilt her head in confusion.

“It sounds like a rather cute nickname. Boss Cat.”

“Maybe it’s cute to you all. She’s undeniably cute in appearance too.”

Ruwen narrowed her eyes.

Unlike the calm and shrewd demeanor she had until now, her eyes were charged with the innate aggressiveness of a beastman.

“But Azonian students don’t easily recognize others as their leaders. Especially students from other factions even more so.”

Azonia pursues strength.

This is why they view those stronger than themselves as potential targets to overcome someday.

When they’ve spent 2-3 years together enduring together, they’ll acknowledge it’s impossible to defeat someone stronger and treat them as a leader, but until then, they will continue to attack endlessly.

However, Ar has been called ‘boss’ by the majority of students in the same grade within only half a year.

“We, the leaders of other factions, see her as a ‘monster cat’.”

Kwang-!

Arga’s punch sent Duran sliding.

“She’s definitely a monster.”

The sight of Ar, her fur bristling and growling, made Chen Xia laugh faintly.

“Still, this is troublesome. Once her fire is ignited, it’s not easy to extinguish her.”

“Duran is the same. I want to stop it now, but it doesn’t seem easy to do given his current state.”

As Chen Xia smiled with difficulty,

“Hooh!”

Arga took a deep breath.

“KRRRRAAAOOOOWW!”

A fierce roar like that of a wild beast resonated from her mouth.

Kwang!

Suddenly, the air felt oppressive.

“Guh!”

“Ha, Hauling!”

The Azonia students grabbed their ears and swayed.

Celia and Chen Xia also grabbed their ears and winced.

It was incomparably stronger than before.

Truly a howling made for battle.

“d*mn.”

Ruwen covered her mouth with her school uniform and narrowed her eyes.

“It seems they’re serious about it.”

‘Pfft, idiot cat. She was trying to stop it but ended up causing a big mess. She’ll be in trouble if she gets punished now, but if she does, it’s fine by me.’

As Ruwen chuckled narrowing her eyes,

Tuk!

“Ah? The student council president of Lumeran, are you here to stop it?”

Ruwen smiled brightly and asked Leo.

“I can’t just leave her here, can I?”

“She might get even more excited at the sight of you and charge in, you know. She’s an idiot who doesn’t choose her opponent once she’s fired up.”

Ignoring Ruwen’s words, Leo stepped between the two.

‘Shall we see what you’re capable of?’

Ruwen’s eyes widened.

‘He probably doesn’t stand a chance in a duel.’

A one-of-a-kind all-class.

And the youngest student council president at Lumeran.

To top it off, someone who had conquered the ‘Great Hero’s World’ already as a first-year.

The gap in power is clear without a doubt.

‘However, if the duel is limited to martial arts, then there might be a chance of winning.’

Azonia students thought it would be possible to overcome in a martial arts duel focusing purely on skill.

‘Shall we see if he has any weaknesses?’

Standing up, Ruwen swayed her fox tail and lit her eyes.

Watching her back, Chen Xia smiled deeply.

Chen Xia saw through at a glance that Ruwen was an exceptionally shrewd student, unlike other Azonia students.

‘And she seems to have her eyes on Lord Leo.’

If Ruwen challenges purely, then Chen Xia may not interfere, but if she plays tricks…

‘I won’t let you off easily.’

As Chen Xia smiled faintly, Ruwen shivered and looked around her shoulder.

‘Just now, I felt a chill?’

*

Krack!

Arga swung her arm, and a giant claw-shaped scar formed on the ground.

Dodging that, Duran invoked ore.

Fzzzzz!

‘ore armor.’

Duran firmly gripped the sword with his whole body covered in lightning.

Ore armor is typically used for defense.

However, Duran could also use it as a means of attack.

Kwang!

Duran rushed toward Ar.

Ar quickly dove into Duran’s embrace, clenching her fist.

Ar’s advantage was using fists and legs in close combat.

She extended her arms to grab his neck.

Duran grabbed Ar’s extended hand with the hand not holding the sword.

“Hm?”

“That’ll tingle.”

Fzzzzzz!

“Urgh?!”

Arga’s fur stood on end as she got electrocuted.

“Kheeee!”

Arga, electrified by the ore and convulsed, tilted her head back in pain.

Flash!

But then, she stared fiercely at Duran as she straightened her tilted head.

Roar!

“That’ll hurt.”

With a ferocious smile, Ar’s other hand aimed for Duran’s face.

Without hesitation, Duran created distance between himself and Ar.

Kwang!

But Ar’s punch cutting through the air sent a powerful pressure toward Duran’s body.

‘Just the shockwave?!’

Duran’s eyes widened as he got blown away.

Tuk! Kwadddd!

He resisted with the sword stabbed into the ground.

But unable to withstand the impact, Duran’s body slid backward.

Tuk!

Duran, finally stopping by pushing off with his feet, raised the corner of his mouth.

“It’s fun.”

“I’m having fun too!”

As Ar lowered her posture with a smirk,

“That’s enough.”

Leo stepped in between them.

Startled, Ar paused, and Duran frowned.

“It’s troublesome if you keep fighting. Outside, our students and Azonian students are starting to fight everywhere. Wouldn’t it be better to stop them first?”

At Leo’s words, Duran rested his sword on his shoulder.

“Chloe escaped, so it’ll probably stop naturally?”

“It might be, but if you keep fighting, the incident won’t be resolved.”

“Hmph. It’s better to settle it quickly.”

“It’s better to recover your condition and fight.”

“What?”

“Isn’t your physical condition normal from the previous fight?”

Leo gestured toward Borman, who was unconscious.

Hearing this, Duran, who was glaring fixedly at Leo, spat in annoyance,

“I dislike the look that sees through everything. Leo Flove.”

Duran stuck the sword into the ground and left.

“Isn’t the situation interesting? And why do you interfere, Black Rabbit?”

Ar crossed her arms with an annoyed expression.

But soon she smirked.

“What, I am still too excited. It’s perfect timing. I wanted to fight with you during this Smith’s contract period!”

Arga grinned showing her fangs.

“The opportunity came sooner than I expected! Let’s fight! Black Rabbit!”

Unable to easily subside her excitement, Ar lowered her stance.

“Surely more out of control than usual.”

“Do you think I’m your pet cat!? Always following your commands! Wild animals bite if you take them lightly!”

Growl! Shouting, Ar charged at Leo.

Seeing this, the Azonia students, saying “Ooh!” tightly clenched their fists.

The battle between the second-year representatives of Azonia and Lumeran!

To Azonia students who like watching fights as much as fighting themselves, this was a great spectacle.

Looking at Ar who had come close enough to touch him, Leo smiled faintly and murmured.

“Grrr.”

“……!”

Pat-!

Suddenly, Ar widened her eyes and hastily created distance from Leo.

Like a cat with bristling fur, she raised her tail and bowed down, supporting her body with her hands.

Her tail was rigidly straight, and sweat kept dripping from her chin.

Looking at such Ar, Leo smirked and said to Celia and Chen Xia who were wearing puzzled expressions.

“Let’s go.”

As Leo left Azonia’s lodging,

“You’re not your usual self.”

Luwen, with an expression of boredom, yawned and went back inside.

Arga, who stood up, looked at her hands.

They were soaked in cold sweat.

For a moment, she saw a lupine silhouette behind Leo.

She had this experience last summer break, too.

But it was different from that time.

And the impact was immeasurably greater than before.

‘That was definitely… Hauling.’

Arga wiped her hands on her school uniform skirt.

A human using Hauling?

It was an unbelievable story.

But it was the truth.

Arga looked at Leo’s back and tilted her head.

“You, Black Rabbit. What exactly are you?”