Chapter 441

“How are the kids doing?”

Toluah, sitting in the staff lounge while reading a magic book, asked.

“Perfect.”

Jamaa smiled approvingly.

“Every student from every school follows my systematic training perfectly.”

“Systematic? Ha! You just beat them with punches and kicks. So primitive.”

In response to Toluah’s criticism, Jamaa said,

“Punches and kicks require more precision than you think. It’s the same as when forging weapons with hammer blows.”

“Indeed, Li Jamaa. You were truly the toughest man in Lumeran last year.”

At Dellow folding his arms and nodding while saying that, Toluah shook her head.

“What are you talking about? Until last year, the toughest man in Lumeran was Ris.”

“No, Ris was third in terms of manliness.”

“Then who was second?”

“You.”

“Hmph! I’m a woman, you idiot.”

“Ho ho, you should take it as a compliment! Toluah Yan! You are a more manly woman than many men!”

Seeing Dellow hold up his thumb while speaking, Toluah seriously considered what kind of magic she could use to burn him.

Although Dellow thought he was complimenting her, from Toluah’s perspective, it was far from that.

While Toluah was pondering, Jamaa said,

“How about you, Toluah? Aren’t you properly training your juniors?”

“Of course. I’m helping students who have weak magical counter-ability experience various kinds of magic.”

“Are you performing magic experiments on kids?”

“Hmm. It’s a case of killing two birds with one stone, isn’t it?”

The students in charge of Toluah were primarily those who had weak magical counter-ability.

“I’m currently studying a magic that induces curse effects by using a neural system magic. It’s perfect for use.”

“Truly worthy of the madwoman of Lumeran.”

“Why am I a madwoman?”

In response to Vanir’s question, Toluah got angry.

“How could you not know? Sometimes you lose your mind over magic, right? Recently, what was it? You even said you wanted to dissect Leo Flove and Lunia El Rundah.”

“It’s all for the sake of magic. And don’t worry, I’ll sew them up again afterward, they’ll be fine.”

“That’s why you’re called a madwoman.”

“Hmph. And you, throwing kids off cliffs and tormenting them, aren’t you a mad rabbit?”

Toluah and Vanir glared at each other.

Seeing this, Jamaa muttered,

“They’re still the same.”

“Even back in student days, Vanir had more of a competitive spirit toward Toluah than Ris.”

Jamaa and Dellow shook their heads when,

“Hmm, there’s a lack of love here.”

Ulta, who had been watching the situation, spread his arms.

Seeing that, Jamaa said,

“Ulta, don’t you have only two students under your charge? I heard things aren’t going well, right?”

“I am spreading love. Love is originally something hard to understand.”

“…Ah, that’s right.”

Jamaa shook his head, deciding that communication was impossible.

At that moment, Rienia, the former Student Council President of Seirun, who had been watching the situation, said,

“Aren’t you all taking your instructor duties too lightly? You’re just enjoying yourself or indulging in personal desires.”

“Do you have the right to say that?”

“While you’re doing strange training for teacher certification.”

“Rather, aren’t you the one enjoying tormenting your juniors, you sadist?”

As criticisms arose from all corners, Rienia covered her cheeks.

“I find it enjoyable when the kids scream.”

“…No matter how you think of it, Seirun seems to be the strangest among the Hero Academies.”

“Yeah, the one who pretends to be the best seems like they’ve gathered the oddest people.”

“Isn’t that Luania, who’s a candidate for the next Student Council President, completely a bully?”

The graduates whispered among themselves, but Rienia didn’t bat an eye.

At that moment, a young man with black hair entered as the door opened.

“Ris, how are the first years?”

“Everyone listens well. This generation of first years seems particularly well-behaved. They also get along well.”

In response to Ris’ words, Vanir said,

“Getting along well even though they’re from different schools?”

“Apparently, this year’s first years are friendly even with students from other schools and quickly become close friends.”

Generally, the Hero Academy has a strong sense of competition among different schools.

Especially in the first year, this competitiveness often manifests as hostility.

The second-year students had only blended well due to the Smith Exclusive Contract at the beginning of the term.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have even spoken to each other.

In fact, during the Smith Exclusive Contract period, there was almost no exchange between schools.

On the contrary, this year’s first-year students seem to be quickly becoming close friends with each other.

“This year’s first years may not be on par with the second years, but they’re all above average. The better the generation, the more pride they usually have, so it’s unusual that they’re friends with each other.”

“Like us?”

“Yeah.”

The graduates chuckled.

Now, even though they’ve graduated and have had plenty of opportunities to clash over five years, they joke around. But up until the first and second years, they only showed sharp responses to each other.

“Why is it like that?”

“Isn’t it because the seniors from the year above are so formidable? They’re so intimidating, they can’t help but become humble when they puff themselves up.”

“Indeed, if those guys are their seniors, they’d certainly become humble out of apprehension.”

The current second-year students are already considered a legendary generation, regardless of the school.

“By the way, I’ve noticed this recently. The top students in the first year don’t seem to be at the second-year level.”

“If they’re at that level, they should be getting lazy, but I’m not seeing any signs of that.”

“Why do they never lower their guard? It’s scary being watched by seniors like us.”

The Hero Academy is a place where only the best gather.

Every student is considered a prodigy.

And those prodigies who reach the top positions are bound to become arrogant.

But there’s no sign of arrogance in the second years.

“There’s a monster among them.”

As Ris smiled, Rienia narrowed her eyes.

“Leo Flove. Even though he’s a second-year, he’s already outgrown the student category. The strongest second-year. No, he’s the strongest student in the entire Hero Academy.”

Everyone here is close to becoming a true hero, and it’s said that one of them might soon get their name on the Hero Record.

It’s not common for people to receive such high praise within half a year of graduation, through the long history of heroes.

But even those here sense it instinctively.

That Leo stands above them all.

“Was he that strong even in his first year?”

“He was unnaturally strong even in his first year, but not to this extent.”

Anyone hitting their peak will invariably hit a wall.

But not Leo.

‘Leo is accelerating the speed of becoming stronger.’

Ris recalled Leo.

“After all, what is his true identity?”

To Dellow’s question, Jamaa, with his arms crossed, smiled.

“I see him as a monster.”

“I suspect he might be the sixth species.”

Toluah added,

“Leo is simply brimming with love.”

Ulta spread his arms and laughed.

“Whatever he is, if thanks to Leo, our juniors—who we’ll work with to build the future of the world—continue to grow, there couldn’t be a better thing than that.”

As Ris said this, Vanir asked,

“Does that mean you’re just going to let him continue growing?”

“Of course not.”

Ris shook his head.

“We need to keep trying hard so our juniors don’t overtake us.”

As everyone nodded in agreement with Ris’ words, he asked,

“By the way, what about that Akan person?”

Ris primarily handles first-year students, so he hadn’t had much contact with Aron.

In response to Ris’s question, Toluah, with her arms crossed, tilted her head.

“He’s quite a remarkable person. It’s strange that someone that excellent is completely unknown.”

“Is he not a shadow?”

“It doesn’t seem so.”

“What information do we have about him?”

Seeing Toluah shaking her head, Vanir stated,

“First, he bears a striking resemblance to Lord Aron.”

“Ho, who knows? He might truly be Lord Aron.”

At Ulta’s comment, everyone paused, then burst into laughter as they looked at each other.

“Even if it’s possible, it’s not him.”

“A miracle occurred in Seirun, but it was only for a short time, right?”

“That person has been around for a week already, right? And he hasn’t disappeared yet.”

In fact, when the instructors first heard of him, they doubted it.

Because his atmosphere was strikingly similar to Aron’s.

But it’s already been two weeks since the training camp started.

If he was truly Aron who had returned to the present through the Hero Record miracle, it’s unlikely he would have stayed this long.

Decisively,

“Whenever I see him, he seems intimidated.”

“Ugh! He is not manly at all.”

“Somewhat, he’s like a scared herbivorous animal.”

Everyone shared their impressions of Aron.

‘Instructor Akan.’

Ris thought.

‘The first impression I got was similar to Leo’s.’

The appearances, personalities, and races are completely different.

But the depth one can feel from his eyes is similar.

‘Who exactly is this person?’