Chapter 425

425.

“What an eventful first semester it’s been.”

“You’re right. This first semester was more hectic than last year.”

At Chloe’s muttering, Chen Sia smiled and nodded.

Currently, all the students of Lumeran were gathered at the Great Training Ground, Erech.

The closing ceremony had ended and one semester had come to a close.

The students received evaluations for their efforts over the semester.

The most notable highlight of the closing ceremony was undoubtedly the first-year representative.

“Well, he ended up becoming the grade representative after all.”

Luke, who defeated Aina in the semifinals and faced Habidden in the finals, claimed the top position of the 1st Year Representative.

Even amidst the ongoing world summit, Luke achieved a great accomplishment no one had foreseen, quickly becoming a hero candidate of worldwide recognition.

“Luke does seem to have developed some gravitas as the grade representative.”

At Chen Sia’s words, Chloe looked where the first-years were.

Luke and Juen were talking, then Habidden, Shasha, and Betty joined them, sparking a lively discussion.

Soon enough, Juen and Habidden began raising their voices in argument, with Luke, caught in the middle, looking troubled.

“Not at all.”

Shaking her head with a sigh, Chloe looked elsewhere.

There, Celia and Aina were conversing.

‘They’ve reconciled, it seems.’

Celia, as an outstanding student, excelled at looking out for others. As both a senior and mentor, she gave her best to help Aina.

However, through Celia, Chloe knew that their relationship had been slightly strained throughout the semester. During the final exam tournament, things had even soured completely.

But after Luke’s semifinal match, Aina reached out to Celia again, allowing their relationship to mend.

‘That’s good.’

Knowing that Celia was deeply worried about Aina, Chloe nodded her head.

“Princess! I will attend to you until we return to Shan!”

At that moment, Jane approached Chen Sia with sparkling eyes.

“Jane, I told you to call me senior while at school.”

“But the closing ceremony is over, so I’m no longer a student, right? Starting now, I will carry out my duty to serve Princess Sia.”

Saying this, Jane shed her school uniform.

Her school blouse and skirt floated up into the sky, drawing countless gazes momentarily.

“Was that magic?”

Chloe asked in a dazed voice.

Under her uniform, Jane was wearing traditional Eastern Continent attire. How had she fit the characteristic flowing garments of the Shan Empire underneath her school uniform?

“It’s not magic. As someone who serves the Princess of Shan, the ability to change clothes swiftly is basic.”

Jane smiled.

“Who said you could casually shed your school uniform like that?”

“Wh-what?”

But Jane yelped at the voice of terror from behind.

“Come along, El Jane.”

With that, Jane, who’d tried to put on airs, was dragged away by Halind.

Among the students, many first and second-year pairs that had established mentor-mentee relationships during the semester were chatting.

Among them, many first-years were shedding tears.

“I’m sorry, Senior. It’s because of me… hiccup.”

“Not at all. Even without you, I would’ve been expelled. If anything, because of you, I made it until the second semester. I’m the one who regrets not being able to help you more.”

Many students were leaving Lumeran this time around. Some from the first year only, some alongside their second-year mentors.

There were mentor-mentee pairs who barely spoke to each other, and also those who were crying together.

“Still, I can’t get used to this.”

Chloe frowned.

Quite a few students from Gloria were also being expelled this time.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. At Lumeran, there must be those who stay and those who leave. But in the end, they’re all heading in the same direction. Though the paths may split, we will surely meet again someday.”

At Chen Sia’s words, Chloe nodded.

“Senior Chloe! What are your plans after the ceremony?”

Chloe’s mentee, Betty, approached.

“We’re planning a small celebration with my dorm mates.”

“So, can I visit after my class’s farewell party?”

“Yeah.”

“Yay!”

Betty beamed happily.

Elsewhere, other first and second-year students were making similar plans.

From a distance, Lil, the third-year representative, muttered to herself.

“I envy the juniors and seniors. Their relationships are so close.”

“Dear, we’re pretty close too, aren’t we?”

Elena braided Lil’s hair casually as she smiled.

“That’s treating me like a toy, Senior Elena.”

“Dear, me?”

Despite her wide, innocent eyes, Elena didn’t stop playing with Lil’s hair.

“I want to tell the younger students in the Summoning Department to spend their vacation well…”

“But those ungrateful first and second-years won’t even come to greet you?”

‘I think it’s not me they’re scared of—it must be you, Senior.’

Lil suppressed a scowl and silently agreed, refusing to verbalize her thought since Elena’s temper would surely follow her home if she dared.

*

Leo stared at his hands.

He faintly felt an alien power—divine energy.

“Indeed, the divine power has grown stronger.”

Since battling the avatar of Hel Kaiser, the divine energy within Leo had increased.

True, it was a very minuscule amount.

“How did this happen?”

At Mel’s question, Leo reflected on the moment he acquired the divine power.

“It was definitely when I suppressed the Demon King’s Catastrophe Flame.”

“Your power is polar opposite to Erebus’s.”

“That’s correct.”

This power, called purity by Lissinas, was the only force capable of opposing Erebus’s flame—the flame that never extinguished.

With this power, Leo had eradicated Erebus.

“But in my past life, all I did was extinguish Erebus’s flame.”

At Leo’s words, Mel pondered and spoke.

“That Pibua god did refer to Erebus as a monstrous being on the level of gods, didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did.”

“And if gods represent the force of light, wouldn’t Erebus be the counterpart of darkness?”

“I guess so.”

“Perhaps the foundation of gods and the roots of primordial calamity are the same?”

“So, I purified the Catastrophe Flame using my power?”

“Affirmative.”

At Mel’s speculation, Leo fell into thought.

“I’ve considered that too, but in the past, I didn’t manage to cleanse or absorb Erebus’s power.”

“Then maybe the Demon King’s flame Erebus expelled wasn’t genuine Catastrophe Flame?”

“The flame that burnt the world, my comrades, and eventually myself…”

Shaking his head, Leo responded.

“There’s no mistaking it.”

“Then what if it’s an awakening?”

“Awakening?”

“Yes. There’s a high probability of that. Ar did awaken Aron’s ability once, right?”

Once, Ar used Hauling to summon another Beastman—a miracle that Aron had long wished for.

Through awakening, Ar bloomed with new possibilities within her abilities.

“Hahaha.”

“What’s amusing?”

“The realization that there’s a path to becoming stronger is astonishing.”

Leo laughed heartily.

“I thought both I and Lissinas, Luna, and Dwenno had reached the end of our paths.”

Certainly, they hadn’t stopped advancing.

But at the time of their final journey, Leo, Lissinas, Luna, and Dwenno were individuals nearly perfected in both strength and spirit.

“Of course. Having achieved the highest realm, defeating Erebus would’ve been possible.”

After saying this, Mel tilted her head.

“But what about Lady Aron?”

Leo and the others had been discussed, but Aron had not been mentioned.

At Mel’s question, Leo rested his chin in thought.

“Aron had a deficiency.”

“Deficiency? But isn’t Lady Aron the strongest warrior in history?”

Smiling bitterly, Leo’s expression startled Mel a little.

No one could deny that Aron was the strongest warrior.

“Yes. If we speak purely of physical power, he is the strongest. Though he’s a coward, that’s a fact.”

“If so, then what was Aron’s deficiency?”

“The spiritual aspect.”

Leo’s smile turned bittersweet.

“By the time of our final journey, all of us, excluding Aron, were ready.”

“For what?”

“Prepare to d*e.”

“…”

“And to bid each other farewell.”

Watching Leo calmly yet gravely declaring this, Mel was silent.

“Our final journey was impossible. Everyone knew, although no one gave up, that none of us were returning.”

Hence, the Great Heroes embarked on the journey with the resolve to not falter, even as the most cherished friends met their ends.

“But Aron, despite being ready to d*e, couldn’t prepare himself to witness our deaths.”

Because of this, Aron was the first to sacrifice himself.

“If it hadn’t been him, it would’ve likely been… Dwenno, who stood at the forefront.”

“…”

“Aron was the youngest among us.”

Of all the Great Heroes, Aron was the only one born during the Era of Catastrophe who had never seen a clear blue sky or bright starlight.

In a sense, he was the same as Elshi.

“Would the outcome have been different if Aron had made that resolve?”

“It wouldn’t have.”

Leo’s expression turned bitterly.

“But all of us regretted it. We had overly depended on his courage, rather than treating him like a friend or comrade, maybe as a brother or elder sister, to console him.”

He remembered Aron cursing himself and closing his eyes.

“Such an incident occurred.”

Mel responded with a somber voice.

Breaking the silence, Mel changed the subject.

“If the Catastrophe Flame was purified by divine power, shouldn’t you be able to use that power soon?”

“Mm… Though it was originally a force granted to the denizens of the lower realms, I can’t quite figure out how to use this.”

The divine power entrusted to Filium by Pibua had been imbued with Pibua’s will.

However, this divine power was different.

A power without any will embedded in it.

“How should I proceed?”

“An occasion to utilize it will surely come.”

Leo stood up.

“I’ll be going now. If I stay too long, they’ll start nagging me.”

“Yes, have a pleasant time.”

Mel bowed with a smile.

“How are the invitations progressing for the people I asked you to invite?”

“They’re proceeding well. I’m preparing to send out the invitations in a week.”

“Good work.”

With that, Leo left Mel’s office.

After seeing him off, Mel took out a banner from a corner of her room.

It was a banner to welcome the incoming students for the training retreat during the vacation.

[Welcome to the Training Retreat]

Mel tilted her head as she looked at the neat lettering.

‘It’s a bit lacking.’

Regardless of what happened, the training retreat would undoubtedly be extraordinary.

Thus, the welcoming text seemed inadequate.

After pondering for a moment, Mel smiled broadly, clapped her hands, and rewrote the banner.

‘It’s enough to give the children some tension, right?’

She erased “Training Retreat” and wrote “Hell” in crimson letters.

[Welcome to Hell]

Mel, pleased with her work, nodded her head approvingly.