Chapter 521

521

“Are you Leo Flove?”

Caodin smirked as he looked at Leo.

“Do you casually speak like this knowing I was classmates with your mother?”

“Being classmates with my mother? Does that mean you’re forgiven to act like a fool?”

“Reina clearly did a poor job raising you. If she couldn’t even achieve anything significant before retiring, she should have at least raised you properly. Perhaps you need some education?”

“Yeah. I’d like to educate you, but your level is just too low for me to do so.”

Leo mocked Caodin’s provocation with a scoff.

Caodin’s expression completely changed as he watched Leo.

He looked ready to pounce on Leo at any moment.

It was then that—

“Ha!”

Chen Sia, who had been knocked down by Caodin’s attack, lightly got back on her feet.

“My new uniform got ruined not long ago.”

Caodin’s eyes twitched at her nonchalant demeanor.

‘She doesn’t seem to have been hurt at all?’

Though Caodin was a graduate of the Department of Knights, he was an archer class.

Compared to other knight classes skilled in melee combat, his close-range attack power was markedly lower.

However, that was only in terms of hero standards.

His attacks were at a level difficult for a student to endure.

Even so, Chen Sia approached him casually.

“I’ll handle this guy. You two don’t have to worry, right?”

“Why shouldn’t I worry? This guy has insulted my cousin and my aunt. I won’t forgive him. Duran, you should back off since it doesn’t concern you.”

“Don’t order me around.”

“These kids can’t comprehend their own situation. Have they lost their minds simply because people call them the golden generation?”

Zzzzap-!

Scarlet lightning swirled around Caodin’s body.

Aura release.

Boomboomboomboomboom—!

Chen Sia and Celia quickly evaded Caodin’s attack range.

“One of them didn’t manage to escape. So it’s time to face your opponent…”

Zzzzap-!

“Is this the extent of a hero’s aura?”

A longsword crackled with golden lightning.

Boom—!

Duran’s sword, adorned with a golden glow, aimed for Caodin’s neck.

Seeing that, Caodin was horrified and quickly stepped back to avoid Duran’s blade.

In that moment—

“I’ll repay you.”

Boom—!

“Gah!”

In an instant, Chen Sia closed the distance with a smile and kicked Caodin in the gut.

Despite her gentle tone, her strength was terrifying.

As Caodin’s body bent at a right angle and his head faced the ground, the rapier, still in its sheath, jabbed into his face as he fell.

Thud-!

“Ugh?!”

He did his best to protect himself with his aura armor.

However, Celia’s thrust penetrated through his aura armor.

While the damage was reduced, it still caused his nose to bleed as he was pushed back.

“You bastards!”

Boomboomboomboomboomboom—!

With his eyes wide open, Caodin released his aura once more.

A powerful aura storm, incomparably stronger than the previous one.

Yet, before the aura storm could engulf them, the three quickly pulled away.

“You bastards!”

With bl**d flowing from his broken nose, Caodin emitted a terrible killing intent.

Iliana watched him, lips pursed.

“Is it even possible for three of them to dominate a knight-class hero like that?”

“It is.”

Claria answered flatly.

“Their skills have already reached a level not easily seen even among heroes. In facing those knights, that b*stard… no, Caodin is just careless. It’s not strange to see him in such a defensive position.”

The three moved sharply and continued to corner Caodin.

“When facing multiple opponents, once you start swinging, it becomes hard to regain the initiative. Moreover…”

“Not all knight classes are the same.”

Leo observed their movements and spoke.

“Just by looking at those women he’s accompanied by, you can infer how he fights on the battlefield.”

Leo glanced at Caodin’s flustered knight squad.

“Those are private knights under his command, right?”

“Correct, Leo. The Valkyries. They specialize in defense, protecting against enemies. You figured it out right away.”

“It’s obvious when you see it.”

“What? What? Class Leader, what does that mean?”

Iliana asked with a confused expression, and Leo sighed.

“Iliana, if you observe your opponent and just think of countermeasures, you’ll become stronger much faster.”

“Ugh.”

“What do you think will happen if a magic-using hero, protected by the front line, is attacked up close by formidable knights?”

“Well, they’d get hit.”

“It’s the same principle. That guy is a knight class, but he fights like a pure wizard. That’s why his response capability in a melee battle is poor.”

“Aha!”

Iliana nodded as if she understood.

“Such a person has the nerve to be called a hero?”

‘There are plenty of gods with disgusting tastes too.’

Leo frowned.

“Valkyries! What are you doing not guarding me?!”

At that moment, Caodin’s shout echoed.

The Valkyries hurriedly rushed to guard Caodin.

“You bastards…! I won’t let this go!”

Thud-!

Caodin opened a spatial rift and grasped a bow infused with powerful magic.

Duran narrowed his eyes at the sight of Caodin.

“To become a hero with something like that… I really think the gods must have poor judgment,” he said, reflecting.

“Seems we’re thinking alike. I’m starting to doubt what a hero really is.”

Celia sighed softly.

“Those disrespectful bastards! Do you know who I am? How dare you insult me! Your family won’t be safe either…”

“I don’t want to bring up families, but what can you do to Zerdinger, who is quite the heavyweight? And you?”

Celia retorted with a nonchalant expression, and when she glanced at Duran, he also snickered.

“This should be fun. Are you planning to wage war against Moira Kingdom?”

“I don’t want to escalate school matters, but if you want, I could show you just how strong the Shan Empire is.”

Caodin kept quiet in the face of the three’s background.

“That connection is quite wonderful. Even if we bicker every day, friends are still friends.”

At that moment, Leo appeared behind the three.

“Who said we’re friends? Leo Flove.”

“I’ve never been friends with someone with such a messy personality, Leo.”

“Come on, let’s all get along as friends.”

As Duran and Celia bristled, Chen Sia smiled and intervened.

“Of course!”

As Leo smirked, Duran scoffed and crossed his arms while Celia and Chen Sia also let their auras disappear.

Thud—

“Is it cool to see you get beaten up by your juniors?”

“What a disrespectful brat!”

Fuming once more from Leo’s mockery, Caodin pulled back his bowstring.

Zzzzap-!

“d*e!”

As he released the bowstring with a roar, scarlet lightning shot toward Leo.

Thud-!

Leo snatched the incoming arrow out of the air.

Zzzzap-!

“……!”

Caodin’s eyes widened in shock at how easily his attack was blocked.

Zzzt—!

Leo tightened his grip, causing the aura arrow to disperse as if it had vanished.

Everyone present gawked at that sight.

Leo slowly approached Caodin.

“Block it! Stop that guy!”

Seeing this, Caodin shouted at the Valkyries.

Upon noticing that, Leo raised his hand.

Swish! BOOM—!

“Gah?”

“Th-this…!”

Shadows of Valkyries began to rise, binding the Valkyries in place.

It was Lissinas’s magic.

“Y-you cowardly magic…!”

“It doesn’t seem right for someone who hides in a safe place and shoots arrows to say that.”

Leo scoffed as he approached.

Watching Leo, Caodin desperately pulled back the bowstring once more.

Gooooo—!

Killing intent erupted from Leo’s body.

Thud-!

Caodin, struck directly by the killing intent, lost his grip on the bow.

Clackclackclack—

Caodin’s jaw trembled, turning pale.

As he witnessed this, Leo tilted his head back and narrowed his eyes at the sky.

“To you, is this considered a hero?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I am the rightful hero chosen by the gods! You have no right to question my status as a hero…!”

“Kneel.”

Thud-!

“Gah!”

Leo kicked Caodin’s shin.

With his shin bone shattered, Caodin collapsed.

“Surely, I have no right to question your status as a hero.”

Leo spoke as he stomped on Caodin’s head.

“But at the very least, you are not one.”

Crack-!

“Gah!”

Under the overwhelming pressure on his head, Caodin screamed.

Several second-year students gasped at the sight.

“I had intended to just watch. If I intervened, the situation would escalate.”

Though he knew he had the authority to intervene, he had no intention of abusing it.

“But if people like you are called heroes, then those who truly dedicate themselves for the sake of the world become a joke.”

“Ugh—ugh—”

As Leo’s killing intent thickened, Caodin struggled to breathe.

Shuddering as if in a seizure, he wheezed.

‘I’m going to d*e! I’m really going to d*e!’

Caodin was paralyzed with fear.

“Forgive me… forgive…!”

“Ask Chen Sia for forgiveness. She’s not someone you can insult.”

“Forgive… ugh—!”

Caodin rolled his eyes back and slumped over.

Leo, with a blank expression, said to the Valkyries.

“Take him away.”

At those words, the Valkyries hurriedly took Caodin away.

Leo spoke to Chen Sia, who approached him.

“I was going to make him apologize to you.”

“It’s fine. Getting an apology from someone like that wouldn’t make me feel any better.”

Chen Sia smiled brightly.

At that moment, Duran, who had been quietly observing the situation, finally spoke up.

“Leo Flove. I have something to ask.”

“You want to ask me something? That’s rare.”

“To you, what is an ideal hero?”

“……?”

Leo raised an eyebrow at Duran’s question.

“Why are you asking that?”

“Everyone has different reasons for wanting to become a hero. Thus, the ideal hero they aspire to be is also different.”

Duran wanted to become a hero because he admired strength.

Celia sought it to elevate her family’s honor.

Chen Sia dreamed of being a hero to help many people.

Each had their own reasons and paths they wanted to follow.

“But you’ve shown no interest in the hero’s role from the start.”

“Did it seem that way?”

“Yes, but you were more heroic than anyone else.”

Everyone, including Leo, was taken aback by Duran’s words.

It was the first time the prideful Duran had openly acknowledged Leo so sincerely.

“You had the ability to turn impossibilities into possibilities. You were honorable as a hero and never hesitated to help others. It was as if you were born to be a hero.”

Duran locked eyes with Leo.

“And today, you showed the most anger at a hero who was anything but heroic. That’s why I wanted to ask: what do you consider an ideal hero?”

“I’ve never thought about it, so it’s hard to say.”

Leo, who had been pondering seriously, finally spoke.

“A person who can gather courage for others. Someone who would gladly become another’s shield for their sake. A person who can shine in any situation.”

As he thought of Aron, Dwenno, and Luna, Leo spoke slowly.

“A person who can turn despair into hope. That’s what I think an ideal hero is.”

“Wow, that’s totally Leo Flove!”

“Not at all.”

“Why? It sounds just like you.”

“I just didn’t give up thanks to those kinds of people.”

“That’s something amazing.”

Chen Sia made a dissatisfied expression.

“So? Why are you asking that?”

“It’s just that I want to pursue a different path of heroism than you.”

Duran would not give up on following Leo’s path.

He knew that perhaps his goal could never be reached in this lifetime.

But he still had no intention of giving up.

‘Still, I’m not keen on becoming the ideal hero you pursue.’

It was a strange rebellious feeling he had, not wanting to follow someone else completely.

‘I think a hero is someone who never gives up.’

He recalled the first time he talked to Leo.

‘Yes, I won’t give up. Aiming for that isn’t a bad idea.’

After glancing down at his hands, Duran looked back at Leo and said, “I will never give up on surpassing you, Leo Flove.”

At that, Leo’s eyes slightly widened.

“Why is that?”

“Just, you remind me of someone.”

“Who?”

‘If I say I resemble myself, it’ll cause a commotion again.’

“Hero of Beginning, Kyle.”

At that, Chen Sia widened her eyes and alternated her gaze between Leo and Duran.

Whether Duran was aware of her reaction or not, he merely scoffed.

“You speak as if you know the Hero of Beginning Kyle.”

“I heard it from Lady Luna.”

Duran gave a slight frown at that.

“Alright then, let’s get back to class.”

Claria interjected to manage the situation.

Meanwhile, Duran approached Chen Sia.

“You didn’t get hurt from such a petty attack, did you?”

It was an arrogant statement, but it was Duran’s own way of showing concern.

Chen Sia looked up at him with an oddly sulky face.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Isn’t it nice? Hearing that you resemble the Hero of Beginning from Leo Flove.”

“Are you feeling jealous? I don’t even know if this is something to be jealous about.”

“Hmph!”

Chen Sia turned her back with an affected reaction and walked away.

Watching her, Duran merely looked perplexed.