Chapter 274

“Healer! Healer!”

“Egget’s arm is twisted at an odd angle!”

Among the Demian students, there was an uproar.

“Well, then, let me take a look at those weapons.”

Of course, Leo paid no attention to such things and walked toward the weapons Egget had displayed.

“To leave someone in such a state and act so calm.”

Ar watched as Egget was carried away on a stretcher and scoffed.

Meanwhile, confusion spread across the eyes of the Azonia students who were watching Leo.

“How can someone with such an arm wield such strength?”

“Egget’s strength was real…!”

Even the sorrow-stricken Azonia students who rushed in, known for their strength, could only see five victories in arm wrestling.

Moreover, excluding Ar, all of them were students larger in build than Leo.

“Skill.”

At that moment, the tiger beastman, Borman, spoke.

“Skill?”

“Yes. Leo Flove not only possesses immense strength, but it’s clear that the technique to concentrate that strength has also reached exceptional levels. Hence, he can momentarily unleash explosive power.”

“Ooh.”

“Indeed, Borman!”

“To see through that fact…!”

“He seems like someone I could have a splendid match with!”

Borman blocked Leo’s path.

“That was impressive combat, Leo Flove. Your technique in handling brute strength was magnificent!”

Leo looked up at Borman.

“Your outstanding technique! And my power! Aren’t you curious who holds the upper hand?”

Borman pointed at a steel table.

Looking at such Borman, Leo asked Ar.

“Would you ask your friend if he can step aside?”

“I’ve never had this kind of muscular fool as a friend.”

“Hey! Leo Flove! Let’s settle this with an arm wrestling match!”

At Borman’s words, Ar crossed her arms and replied.

“It’s better to step aside and not end up looking rough, wouldn’t you say?”

“Ooh! Ar, are you worried about me?”

Borman looked touched.

“But I, Borman, a man, have sworn to never back down from a battle until the day I become worthy of you! Come on! Don’t back away, Leo Flove!”

“Worthy of you?”

“It’s because I petted him at the start of the semester that he’s been making such absurd statements. Although, it’s all because I’m so charming.”

Looking at the boastful Ar with disdain, Leo said to Borman.

“If you want to show off your strength, there’s plenty of stuff behind you to do that with.”

Leo pointed his finger at Egget’s armaments.

“Tch, you’re right. But I doubt you can handle all these things with your strength.”

‘Does this fool really think that the Black Rabbit defeated Egget with skill?’

Ar looked at Borman incredulously.

Leo had defeated Egget with sheer brute strength alone.

‘To begin with, the Black Rabbit is a monster who passed the Lumeran entrance exam without using any aura. Besides, she was the freshman representative, standing out even among the notable second-year students of Lumeran. The moment one considers the amount of pure strength this implies, it should be obvious.’

‘But then again, our school kids generally don’t care much about students from other schools. Ugh!’

In the midst of a deep sigh, Borman walked over to Egget’s weapons following Leo.

And reached out for a massive two-handed sword.

Displaying its heavy weight, Borman easily held the two-handed sword with one hand and said,

“Superb. Even though I don’t primarily use swords, this weight… I can definitely feel it’s an outstanding piece of armament….”

As Borman turned his head toward Leo, he was suddenly startled.

“Wait! The weapons displayed here are amongst Egget’s heaviest.”

Because Egget had been carried away, Leo, who hadn’t heard the explanation about the weight classification, reached out for the battle axe that boasted the heaviest weight.

Clang!

But Leo lifted the massive battle axe with no apparent difficulty.

“Ahmandtium alloy.”

Leo inspected the battle axe.

Looking at Leo, Borman froze.

“Does this still count as skill?”

Ar chuckled and asked Borman.

‘Does he have brute strength equal to mine with that body?’

“Well, lifting it is one thing! You should be able to swing it too!”

Borman swung the two-handed sword with all his might.

Whoosh!

A heavy sound split the air.

Borman, who was using a super-heavy greatsword that could barely be handled even with an aura, smiled brightly.

“Well, what do you think, Leo Flove!”

Looking at the smug Borman, Leo lifted the battle axe with one hand.

And…

Swoosh!

Leo swung the battle axe.

A sharp, slicing sound was heard.

A concise yet powerful and destructive motion.

Borman’s expression changed at the sight of it.

Ar, too, looked at Leo in surprise.

‘The force is undoubtedly concentrated in one point.’

It was the movement of someone who perfectly understood the weapon’s characteristics.

Afterward, Leo began to swing the battle axe around the air as if testing it.

The immaculate movement stunned the Azonia students, making them widen their eyes.

“Ooooh…”

At that moment, Egget, who had been carried away on a stretcher, rushed back.

And upon seeing Leo effortlessly handling his super-heavy battle axe, tears of joy streamed down his cheeks.

“To master my crafted weapons with such perfection!”

Tching!

Egget ran up to Leo, who placed the battle axe back on the display, and exclaimed:

“Leo Flove! It seems I’ve misjudged you. You, more than anyone, match the weapons I, Egget, forge! Just say the word, and I will create any custom-made weapon you desire!”

Leo, looking at Egget who grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically, replied,

“Well-done.”

“Of course! I craft the best super-heavy weapons among the second years! Surely, you are also satisfied with the perfect balance of my weapons!”

“Balance? Off.”

“What, what did you say?”

“The advantage of these super-heavy weapons lies in their weight. The heavier they are, the stronger the destructive force they carry.”

Leo looked unimpressed.

“But you’ve focused too much on increasing the weight. Hence, the balance is off.”

“Preposterous! I’ve perfectly distributed the weight! The balance of my weapons is impeccable! Look! To maximize destruction, I’ve made the power-receiving parts heavier and the handles lighter!”

“True, in terms of maximizing the weapon’s destructive power, it might be perfect. But you’ve completely disregarded the wielder. Can you handle the weapons you’ve made?”

“We entrust our lives to your forged weapons. Yet, you still plan to deceive us? Is manufacturing dazzlingly shiny but flawed items the spirit we, as heirs of Dwennos, should uphold?”

Upon hearing Leo’s words, Egget dropped onto his knees.

And shouted, pounding the ground with his fists as if crying.

“Yes, you’re right! I can’t handle those weapons perfectly! Obsessed with increasing destructive power, I’ve forged something I cannot even properly use… Yes! Just made the weight balance appear shiny, but on the surface! I… I have created garbage! And the one who made garbage is garbage!”

With that, Egget stuffed all his weapons into the subspace.

The Azonia students, who had been inspecting the weapons, looked startled.

“I’ll place these pieces of trash into the smelter!”

As Egget ran out of the auditorium sobbing, Leo muttered,

“There’s no need to dispose of all the other good ones.”

“Others were good?”

“Obviously. He was very talented in forging. The weapons within his capabilities must have been perfect.”

“Should have told him. What a waste.”

“Even if I did, he wouldn’t have listened.”

Leo shook his head.

“Dwarfs don’t understand reason.”

Having said that, Leo began examining the other items.

Starting with this, Egget-like situations sprang up one after another.

As if to prove his claim that he could handle every weapon perfectly,

Leo flawlessly handled all the items created by the Demian students.

And meticulously pointed out the flaws in each one of the weapons they produced.

“The mana output is too high. This won’t last long.”

“The orb that aids in summoning the four elemental spirits? It half-heartedly fails to properly support any.”

“Perfect? You keep insisting it’s perfect. Does it look perfect to you? Apologize to the minerals.”

With each of Leo’s statements, the Demian students, seemingly overwhelmed by shock, sobbed and left the grand hall.

Eventually, when Leo was about to critique the 56th Demian student’s weapon,

“Leo student, we understand your greatness, but please stop completely destroying our students.”

Depeto approached and stopped Leo.

Leo looked around.

“My creations are rubbish…”

“Great Mineral Lord, forgive me! Forgive me for making something like this!”

While some despondent Demian students lost their spirits and fell to their knees apologizing to the minerals,

Others avoided Leo’s eyes when he glanced their way.

By now, Leo had turned into a figure of terror.

There is nothing more terrifying for a creator than to have their creations’ flaws perfectly pointed out.

Even though the criticisms might be valid, the blow to the creator is tremendous.

Looking at the Demian students who trembled as they met his gaze, Leo spoke.

“Shall I stop here?”

‘What exactly is the identity of this student?’

With a baffled expression, Depeto looked at Leo.

The Demian students, shattered by Leo, were all students with high scores.

Of course, as students, they were bound to have deficiencies.

The Demian students recognized that.

The problem lay in the fact that Leo, who was also a student, had pinpointed and mercilessly criticized those deficiencies far too accurately.

Glancing at the exhausted Depeto, Ar asked,

“Was it necessary to go this far?”

“There was this blacksmith I knew once,” Leo said flatly.

“He said that a blacksmith determines a hero’s final moments.”

“A blacksmith determines a hero’s final moments?”

“Yes. In a battle, the hero ultimately relies on their weapon. So he advised against being overly confident in your skills.”

Leo looked at the weapons.

“He argued that while we should strive for perfection, there can be no such thing as a perfect weapon.”

“A continuous pursuit, huh. That’s a good lesson.”

Hearing Leo’s words, Depeto nodded.

Young people tend to place blind faith in their skills.

‘Especially young master craftsmen tend to lean toward such tendencies.’

The stubborn nature and strong pride in their creations are traits of dwarves.

‘But it’s also a characteristic we should especially guard against. Since, as Leo pointed out, we are the ones who determine the final moments of heroes. Clearly, Leo has been a good stimulant for the Demian students.’

Depeto glanced with a sideways look at his disciples who were dejectedly sprawled on the ground.

‘This is a bit too much though.’

At that moment,

“You’ve brought another one of those counterfeit items!”

“What business is it of yours what I create?”

A commotion arose at the entrance of the hall.

Depeto sighed deeply and covered his face with his hands.

“What’s going on?”

Ar perked up her ears and headed toward the source of the noise.

By then, a large crowd had already gathered.

Upon noticing a student from Demian at the center of the commotion, Leo tilted his head.

‘A female Dwennos?’

Driona, the female dwarf they met yesterday, was quarrelling with other Demian students.

“Do you plan to tarnish the name of God’s Blacksmith with such mediocre skills?”

“Hmph! I believe creating such mediocre crafts tarnishes the name of God’s Blacksmith far more!”

“What did you say!”

An incensed Demian student kicked the weapon box Driona had brought.

Clatter!

Swords spilled out of the weapon box.

Seeing this, other students from the Hero Academy looked surprised.

All the swords were identical in appearance.

And the look of the swords was too famous.

Leo picked up a sword that had rolled toward his feet.

‘This is….’

It was a sword that Leo knew.

The first sword Dwennos made for Aron.

[Wolf Fang.]

The early sword used by Aron, whose existence is confirmed not only in documents but also in the Hero Record as one of the most famous swords in the world.

Looking at the sword, Leo turned his gaze to Driona.

‘Is it a reproduction?’

With a puzzled look, Leo drew the blade.

Swish!

Startled by the feeling at the tip of the blade, Leo showed a surprised expression.

Compared to the real Wolf Fang, it was far inferior.

Of course, it was only natural.

The comparison was against Dwennos, after all.

However, purely as a sword, it was excellent.

‘She isn’t just a female Dwennos in terms of personality, is she?’

Looking around, Leo wondered.

‘Then why do the Demian students dislike her?’