Chapter 566

566.

“What are those kids doing here?”

Leo asked, pointing at the Wisdom Academy students standing behind Lunia and Ar.

“So you’re Leo Flove, aren’t you? Nice to meet you! I’m Riden! A student from Wisdom Academy!”

“Wisdom?”

“It’s the educational institution in Dragonia that continues the legacy of Master Lissinas to train dragons.”

As Leo looked puzzled, Chelsea explained beside him.

“That’s right. We’re guide candidates, descendants of the great Lissinas.”

“So? Does this descendant of Lissinas have some business with me?”

“We’ve come to assess your qualities as a hero.”

At that moment, Leo wore a look of incomprehension, and Chelsea faltered slightly.

Lunia covered her face with her palm and tilted her head.

“Could you repeat that? I think I misheard.”

“We’ve come to test you.”

‘What does this kid think he’s saying? bl**d hasn’t even dried on his head.’

Leo let out a hollow laugh.

“Are you serious? Who do you think you are, testing Brother Leo?”

At that, Chelsea standing beside him suddenly shouted.

Leo is the Hero of Beginning.

The Great Hero who defeated Erebus 5,000 years ago and saved the world.

He is the ancestor of all heroes!

Yet someone wants to test Leo?

‘That’s ridiculous!’

“Who are you?”

“Second year student at Lumeran’s Department of Magic, Chelsea LeWalyn!”

“The LeWalyn family of the Rodren Empire?”

Following Chelsea’s outburst, one of the Wisdom Academy female students stepped forward.

The tall girl stared intently at Chelsea.

“What’s your problem with staring like that?”

The tall girl quickly hugged Chelsea as she frowned.

“So tiny! You’re like a doll! Super cute!”

CRACK!

A vein popped on Chelsea’s forehead. Insulting her height was easily the worst thing someone could do.

Ar burst out laughing as Chelsea thrashed around in the air.

“She’s really small when you think about it.”

‘You’re dead, you d*mn cat! You’ll eat my foot someday!’

Chelsea gritted her teeth, making a mental note to kick Ar later.

“Can you let go of me a little?”

“Sorry! My bad.”

The girl cleared her throat.

“Siren. As a student from Wisdom Academy, don’t lose your dignity.”

“It’s okay, no harm done.”

The girl introduced herself with a big grin.

“Nice to meet you, Chelsea LeWalyn. My name is Siren. I’m a Wind Dragon. I’ve always been fascinated by and studied your LeWalyn family since I was young.”

As Siren gracefully bowed, she looked up at Chelsea and exclaimed admiringly.

“From the wind swirling around you, I can tell you’re quite remarkable despite your young age.”

Chelsea looked up at Siren with a somewhat indifferent expression.

‘She doesn’t seem malicious.’

But there was something odd about her.

What was it?

‘Does she look down on me just a little?’

Last year, during the Ruse Tournament, she encountered elitist elves obsessed with pure-bl**d supremacy.

Siren was different.

She genuinely respected Chelsea and didn’t belittle her.

‘I see. She probably thinks she’s here to guide me.’

Chelsea felt oddly irritated.

She represented Lumeran and, although her direction was unclear in her first year, she now knew her path.

Having met Abad with the strong winds and Leo with whom she entered Lumeran, she faced many winds that once tossed her around.

But not anymore.

Chelsea now had her own strong wind and was clear about her goals.

The attitude of Siren, who exuded an aura like ‘the person who will guide you,’ made Chelsea feel unpleasant.

‘Am I supposed to be someone who needs to have her path clarified by someone else? What nonsense is this?’

Others felt the same way, except Chelsea.

It was surprising.

When entering Hero Academy, they aspired to be chosen by dragons.

The dragon-chosen candidates always achieved great feats, which made them objects of admiration.

Yet, now they didn’t feel great as they approached this dream.

Looking around, Leo smirked.

‘Everyone seems to have grown up.’

A clear sense of purpose.

Definite goals.

Advancing steadily toward them—this was a sign of growth.

‘Offering guidance without consulting someone who’s already on a clear path is an unpleasant thing to do. It’s like interfering in someone’s life. Still…’

Leo observed the Wisdom Academy students.

‘They are naive.’

Dragons are the strongest species.

Even among them, the ones gathered here were all wise and skilled.

Still…

‘They are arrogant.’

They differed from the dragons Leo met during the Era of Heroes.

Every dragon Leo met had their own circumstances and ideals.

But all of them, to some extent, carried a fragment of the legacy left by Lissinas.

Though dragons, they were not arrogant.

They would keep their posture low and meet eyes with other races.

But the students of Wisdom Academy looked down, much like the dragons of the Era of Catastrophe, who maintained their haughty demeanor even as the world crumbled.

At that time, they treated others as inferior races and refused to cooperate, showing contempt.

This was the impression of dragons Kyle had before meeting Lissinas.

‘How can I deal with these arrogant lizards?’

While pondering and looking around, Leo noticed someone sitting on the roof.

It was none other than Melina and Enkinias.

Enkinias bowed respectfully upon catching Leo’s eye.

Melina wore a troubled smile and gestured as if clapping her hands together.

‘Is she asking me to go easy on them?’

Certainly, although they remind one of past dragons, they weren’t truly the same.

‘They’re just inexperienced kids.’

Leo scratched his head.

‘But it’s a hassle.’

Luna or Dwenno would have crushed them immediately for being arrogant.

Leo himself wasn’t far off.

‘But Lissinas would have handled it differently.’

He would’ve shown them a broader world.

Much like how he reached out to the young Kyle in the past.

Leo thought about this and extended his hand, petting Chelsea, who had a fierce expression.

Her face softened slightly.

“You want to assess my qualities as a hero, right?”

“Yes.”

Riden nodded confidently.

Leo smirked.

“All right. Test my qualities then.”

“Smart thinking!”

“Before that.”

“Hm?”

“Is it alright if I evaluate your potential too?”

“Our potential?”

“Isn’t it normal for a hero to test a guide?”

“He does have a point…”

‘Leo Flove is already among the ranks of heroes. Moreover, he’s the one chosen by the gods—the only one capable of defeating Erebus.’

Riden was the top student at Wisdom Academy, harboring a strong desire to continue the legacy of the King of Wisdom and contribute to the world alongside heroes.

There could be no better partner for Riden in this era than Leo.

‘A person like this might as well have Melina or Enkinias as a guide.’

So, he needed to show his own worth somehow.

Riden nodded.

“Fine. Since you’re already a hero with your name in the Hero Record, you have the right to test me!”

‘Leo probably just wants to shatter your mental strength into dust.’

Lunia stuck out her tongue upon seeing Riden.

“So what? What kind of test do you have in mind? I’ll overcome it no matter what.”

“To be honest, it’s pretty simple. If you can get out of the illusion magic I cast, then you pass.”

“Illusion magic? It doesn’t work well on dragons, and it’s even harder if they know about it. You know that already, right?”

Leo smiled as Riden looked puzzled.

“Don’t worry about that. How about you try it too?”

Leo turned toward the other Wisdom Academy students who had been watching.

Hearing this, the students looked at each other.

“That sounds interesting.”

“I’m curious what kind of magic the all-class hero uses.”

The other students expressed interest with curious faces.

Leo turned to Chelsea.

“By the way, Chelsea will also take the test along with you guys.”

“Me?”

Chelsea widened her eyes and pointed at herself.

“Do you plan to adjust the power of your illusion magic to Chelsea’s level?”

“If we adjust it to Chelsea’s level, the test loses its meaning.”

“Does that mean it might be dangerous?”

Riden wore a worried look.

Seeing this, Chelsea frowned.

“Stop worrying about me and worry about yourself.”

Siren covered her cheek as Chelsea shot her a sly, fierce glare.

“She’s so tiny and prickly, she’s absolutely adorable.”

“She’s not prickly, she’s a grumpy little brat.”

“Can I punch this cat in the stomach once before we start, Leo?”

“That might be hard to do.”

As Leo spoke, Chelsea clicked her tongue.

“There’s no need to worry about Chelsea.”

To overcome illusion magic requires formidable mental strength.

Riden thought of Chelsea as an inexperienced hero candidate, which was why he seemed concerned.

‘Of course, Chelsea is inexperienced.’

Not just Chelsea, Lunia, Ar, and Driana are inexperienced too.

But that’s all in Leo’s standard.

For Riden to hastily judge Chelsea is unfair, considering the paths she has walked.

‘No matter what, she has stood on the battlefield against Erebus.’

When the third fragment of Erebus resurrected.

Chelsea ventured to its forefront to support Aron.

‘This is an essential difference.’

Chelsea is by no means an inexperienced hero candidate.

She is a magician worthy of being called a hero.

‘If it were me, I would have beaten them soundly, but you would have given them an opportunity to learn, right?’

Thinking of his dear friend, Leo smiled faintly.

“Are you ready?”

“For sure.”

Riden and the Wisdom Academy students looked confident.

Chelsea nodded as well.

“Then let’s begin.”

Leo unleashed his magical power.

Riden stared intently.

‘What magic will he use?’

Just then, the gray magical power emanating from Leo’s hand transformed into pitch-black darkness.

“Wha–”

It was unlike the foul darkness of Tartarus.

It was warm, as if embracing everything.

However, that’s why it gave off a spine-chilling sense of boundlessness.

‘Is this… dragon power?’

Riden’s eyes widened as he gazed at Leo.

At that moment, he noticed that Leo’s eyes, once red, had turned a black like obsidian.

They were the same as those of his kin.

‘Incantation Magic!’

Not only Riden, but all of the Wisdom Academy students stared wide-eyed.

It was high-level incantation magic that they couldn’t even fathom performing themselves.

A long time ago, the King of Wisdom reinterpreted Tartarus’ curse and created this curse of the dragon’s magic.

Realizing the nature of this magical matrix, Riden was astounded.

‘Nightmare?’

In an instant,

Riden was absorbed by the darkness, which rose like a painting.