Chapter 63

【63】62

Leo’s fiery aura blazed furiously, and a Seirun student quickly stepped back.

“Hmm.”

Leo looked down at his own hand and smirked.

“I expected someone really impressive, but I’m a bit disappointed.”

“Don’t joke around! I’m from the top First Year Class of Seirun!”

“So what?”

Gulping, the Seirun student continued, “If you say you’re from the top class in Seirun, in the Elf society, you’re considered an incredible elite.”

A position that anyone would admire and respect endlessly.

But this was way off the mark.

If it had been another student, they might have understood the greatness of Seirun’s system, but to Leo, it meant nothing.

Even among the first-year swordsmen in Lumeran, excluding Leo, there were three students stronger than this Seirun student.

‘Well, though those three don’t follow the usual standards. Still, for a Seirun student bragging, this is rather disappointing.’

Leo was even more disheartened because just moments before, the student had shot him a look that seemed to belittle Lumeran.

At that moment, the Seirun student began reciting the Rune Language.

“Magic of the Stars? So you’re a Magi Knight, huh?”

Interest sparkled in Leo’s eyes.

If the student was indeed a Magi Knight, it was a different story entirely.

Moreover, in this era, he had never personally encountered the Magic of the Stars used by elves, so he felt intrigued.

‘It’s an illusion.’

Though Leo could have easily disrupted the rune easily, he allowed the student to complete and unleash the spell to fully examine the magic.

Once completed, the Seirun student conjured four illusions and declared,

“This is just the beginning!”

“…”

A hint of disappointment flickered in Leo’s eyes.

‘Is this really the Magic of the Stars in this era?’

The Mirage technique is one of the highest-ranked illusionary magics, creating such realistic illusions that it’s near impossible to discern what is real.

It was a magic spell that Luna always enjoyed using.

However, the Mirage technique displayed by this student was different from the one Leo knew.

‘Though it’s realistic enough, incomparable to any other illusions, it still feels crude. They must’ve re-engineered the spell to make it easier to use.’

Through years of magic development, Leo still noticed how Luna’s magic had regressed.

‘If my friend saw this, how disappointed would she be?’

‘Probably cursing the spell to high heavens.’

Recalling Luna’s eccentric personality, Leo shook his head.

Just as he did, the Seirun student said,

“You humans have never even seen such magic before.”

Thinking that Leo had been lost in thought out of shock, the student spoke with an air of superiority.

“I can even cast welcome magic you know.”

“Hmph. Human magic is primitive compared to our elves’ Magic of the Stars, but… let’s see how you fare.”

At those words, Leo smirked and began chanting the Rune Language.

Hearing the spell, the Seirun student distorted their face.

“What? Are you mocking me? Humans can’t use the Magic of the Stars…”

The Seirun student’s face froze in astonishment as the spell was completed.

It was the Mirage technique exactly identical to theirs.

But the Seirun student’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of eight illusions of Leo.

“So, my magic is this level?”

“That’s impossible!”

“There are plenty of human wizards capable of using the Magic of the Stars. You seem to need to revise that narrow-minded thinking of yours.”

Leo stated with a lack of enthusiasm.

[Ha ha ha! Look at that dumbfounded face! He looks so stupid!]

Kirran, standing on Leo’s shoulder, clapped his hands in amusement.

‘This guy really doesn’t resemble his father at all.’

Silrod was not someone who enjoyed the misfortune of others.

“Cough! That’s just a fake made to appear like the Magic of the Stars!”

The Seirun student screamed and charged at Leo.

‘He doesn’t seem to know when to admit defeat.’

Shaking his head, Leo adjusted his grip on the sword.

Suddenly, a wave of aura flared from the Seirun student’s sword.

Leo’s gaze flickered upon seeing it.

‘All four are real?’

It was an advanced technique combining Mirage and swordsmanship.

‘This is unusual. His basic techniques are poor, yet he can freely use such powerful advanced spells.’

Leo clenched his fists.

At that moment, Leo realized he could not currently execute that skill, as the spell used by the Seirun student was the Magic of the Stars but was different from the one Leo knew.

‘Luna was a pure wizard.’

Fusing magic with swordplay was not a method Luna would ever consider.

Therefore, this skill was something that seemed like the Magic of the Stars but not quite.

Precisely, it was a new paradigm reached by elves seeking to emulate Luna.

‘The initial impression needs an update; it’s not a regression.’

Sometimes, a wizard does not appreciate modifications to spells they themselves invented, perceiving it as a form of destruction because they view their magic as art.

But not Luna.

‘You’re one of the most wizardly of all wizards.’

A wizard who explored possibilities, experimented, and found joy in manifesting what they discovered—this was the elf named Luna.

‘Had she seen this, she would have surely been delighted, calling it a new advancement despite the changes from her original star magic.’

Whoosh!

Four dazzling energy blades adorned the air.

The illusions Leo created disappeared with nothingness.

The Mirage technique is a magic spell that creates realistic illusions.

A spell that Luna used frequently, yet no matter how realistic, they were still illusions.

‘This one, however, is real even though the original body is an illusion.’

Leo meticulously analyzed the spell formation.

“Ho ho! Taste the true power of the Magic of the Stars unlike the fake one you used!”

‘Fake? This is the Magic of the Stars created by Luna herself.’

The literal origin and beginning of star magic.

The laughter escaped him involuntarily as someone from the distant future labeled it a fake.

“What’s so funny? Why are you mocking me?”

The Seirun student flared up, believing Leo was mocking him.

The scattered illusions surrounded Leo menacingly.

It was as if four mirrors were swinging their swords at Leo.

Of course, the energy blades alone were real.

Whoosh!

Flames gathered into Leo’s fist.

‘Well, that’s all there is.’

Leo’s red eyes gleamed dangerously.

Whoosh! Bang!

As Leo punched the ground, a burst of flames exploded outward.

“Gah!”

The illusions vanished instantly, revealing the original figure.

Coldly, Leo remarked,

“A skill lacking in power is merely a trick.”

“Don’t joke around!”

Fuming at Leo’s words, the Seirun student conjured more illusions, this time eight.

Eight Auras were unleashed.

‘They’ve expended all their magical power and aura.’

As Leo sensed his opponent’s all-or-nothing gambit, he smirked again.

‘Eliminating those would’ve been simple enough.’

Leo’s red eyes darted quickly.

‘But, I might as well use this technique.’

Whoosh!

As Leo generated magic power and quickly unfolded the magical formation, the eight illusions surrounded him.

They moved identically, pressuring him just like reflections in a mirror.

At that moment,

Whoosh!

Leo used Mirage.

Unlike the last time, there were only two.

“Hmph! Do you really think your illusions could disrupt me in this surrounded state?”

Mocked by the opponent, Leo gathered aura into his fists.

Whoosh!

The aura gathered in the fists of Leo’s clones as well.

The Seirun student’s face stiffened upon seeing it.

‘This guy… Can he really!’

‘This is nonsense! In order to control the Oural Mirage to this level, you must be at least second year in the advanced class!’

In an instant, Leo took care of seven illusions, raising his fist and said,

“Pretty good, right, with this skill?”

Seeing the two Leos rushing toward him, the Seirun student turned pale.

“Uh… Just…”

Whoosh! Bang!

As two fire explosions hit him, the Seirun student’s eyes bulged.

“Exactly where did you learn the magical formation taught by Seirun…”

Looking at the one who mumbled in disbelief, Leo nonchalantly responded,

“Just now.”

The process of analyzing the spell structure and adapting it so that he could use it was complex, but not difficult for Leo.

He even applied it.

‘This is a skill that consumes a lot of energy, so I can’t sustain it long, but excellent.’

With a smirk, Leo turned his gaze toward the bushes.

Moments later, someone emerged from the bushes.

A red-haired girl wearing Seirun’s female student uniform appeared.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Lunia El Rundah, I’m a first-year student at Seirun.”

“Will you also rush in and attack like him?”

At Leo’s question, Lunia glanced between her fallen classmate and another school’s student and sighed deeply.

“We came here for a mission practice, but an emergency occurred in the sacred territory, causing a misunderstanding. Of course, it was extremely rude before the misunderstanding. I was relaying the story I heard from the teacher to my friends when…”

Lunia trailed off.

Realizing what had happened, Lunia bowed her head.

“I apologize on behalf of this friend.”

“Well, the apology is accepted.”

Leo smirked.

Watching that smirk, Lunia smiled wryly.

“I hope you don’t think all students from Seirun are like this guy.”

“I don’t. Anyway, now that the misunderstanding is resolved, may I leave? I need to report to my professor.”

“Yes.”

Lunia smiled and said,

“See you later.”

“Sure.”

As Leo disappeared from sight, Lunia looked down at the unconscious male student and kicked him in the side.

“Hey, wake up. What the hell? How long do you plan to stay unconscious?”

“Cough!”

“Anyway, why are you pulling this kind of nonsense when you’re at the bottom of the top class? It’s embarrassing!”

Lunia lost her earlier gentle demeanor and growled.

Because of the Seirun rules, as candidates for heroes, they had to maintain a neat appearance and manners in front of outsiders, so she had to put up a front.

Especially Lunia, as the top-ranked student of Seirun, who functioned as the face of the school, had to be extra mindful of the outside perception.

‘Hmm, but wow, he accepted the apology so coolly?’

Lunia recalled Leo.

‘Maybe he has an interest in me? Well, it’s possible! I am pretty, after all!’

Lunia grinned confidently.

‘And he’s kind of cute — fits my type. He also has the skills to knock me down. I completely forgot to ask his name, but I’m sure I’ll meet him again in Berkiya.’

Whistling a tune, Lunia’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

‘And I can also find out more about that Leo Flove guy.’

*

“Lunia El Rundah? Sounds familiar.”

As Leo wandered out of the woods, he tilted his head.

“Ah.”

Then, recalling something, he gasped.

“Heir of the Rundah family. The original contract owner of Fiora, right?”