Chapter 168
Chapter Title: Surprise Attack
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168
“What the?”
“Is that guy crazy?”
The sudden turn of events left the onlookers bewildered.
“Even so, isn’t he being a little too blatant about this?”
As Leo’s lips curled into a smirk, the male student grinned back.
“Doesn't matter. I plan on killing every last brat in this area, including you.”
“You think you can manage that?”
*Fwoosh-!*
Leo ignited his aura.
Seeing the crimson, burning flames, the male student grinned and reached into the air.
*Woooooosh-!*
Space tore open before him.
A dark void appeared, and from it shot a crimson-black greatsword.
Leo’s eyes twitched at the sight.
‘A cursed sword? A melee-type demon.’
“Let’s see what you’re made of!”
With a shout, the demon swung his greatsword.
*Fwhoooosh! Riiip-!*
A vortex of crimson-black sword energy raged.
The attack, which devastated the surrounding area, flew toward Leo.
Seeing this, Leo threw himself forward.
*Craaash-!*
Leo used his flame aura to push back the vortex of sword energy.
But the demon’s aura tore Leo’s flames to shreds.
Leo dodged.
*Tap-*
*Craaaack-!*
The crimson-black vortex destroyed the spot where Leo had been standing before dissipating.
“Hmph. I had high hopes, hearing you were an all-class or whatever. You’re nothing special.”
Hearing the demon’s words, Leo tightened his grip on his sword.
‘A demon of this level is running rampant in Lumerne?’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
The demon before him was strong.
But that was only by the standards of a Lumerne first-year.
It made no sense to attack Lumerne with just this level of power.
The moment he had that thought.
*Boom-!*
A loud explosion echoed from the cafeteria.
The students, who had been panicking at the sudden situation, turned toward the cafeteria with startled expressions.
“Wh-what the hell!”
“What’s going on?”
Just as the students were reeling in shock from the unexpected event.
*Crackle-!*
The sharp sound of intense sparks filled the air.
And with it.
*Zap-zap-zap-zap-zap! Craaash!*
“Kuaaargh!”
Golden lightning struck down from the sky.
The demon who had been targeting Leo let out a pained scream.
“You must have a death wish, running wild in the middle of Lumerne at your level.”
*Whoosh-!*
Duran landed from the air with a cold smile.
Alongside him, several students from Duran's faction assumed combat stances.
“Kekekekek.”
The demon, who had been writhing in pain, fixed his flashing eyes on Duran.
“Duran Moira, I don’t have time for the likes of you. My target is the first-year representative, Leo Flove.”
Duran’s eyes twitched.
“Hah, how arrogant. You’d ignore me to go after Leo Flove?”
Duran’s lips twisted into a sneer.
*Zap-!* Sparks flew from his golden eyes.
The students nearby flinched.
“Yikes!”
“Get back! He’s pissed!”
As the students frantically scrambled to create distance, the demon reached into the air.
*Ziiiing-! Thump-! Thump-! Thump-!*
Space opened up, and from it, troops armed with armor and weapons began to emerge.
The students stared in horror.
“Spatial travel should be impossible within Lumerne!”
“How on earth did he summon troops!?”
Just as everyone was shocked to realize the demon wasn't acting alone.
‘He didn’t summon them from outside. These troops are all his minions.’
Frowning, Leo carefully examined the troops the demon had brought forth.
‘They’re corpses.’
A being capable of launching a full-scale invasion of Lumerne using corpses.
A certain monster flashed through Leo’s mind.
‘The Necro King, Hell Kaiser?’
But he quickly shook his head.
The Necro King was cunning and adept at devising subtle stratagems.
‘No. This kind of brute-force method isn't his style.’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘This is more like something the Monster Queen would do.’
He recalled the reckless and cruel monster.
Whatever the case, the demon before him was not a subordinate of the Necro King or the Monster Queen.
He couldn't sense the energy of either Legion Commander.
Crucially, it wasn’t necromancy that was animating the corpses.
‘Then what is it?’
Just as Leo was frowning.
“Prepare yourself! Leo Flove!”
The demon, having left Duran to his underlings, let out an eerie laugh and charged.
Leo blocked the greatsword swinging at his neck.
*Claaang-! Thud-!*
With a sharp sound, Leo’s feet sank deep into the ground.
As Leo, with their swords locked, narrowed his eyes and tried to push his opponent back.
*Crackle-!*
“Losing focus on another guy while I'm right here. You've got some nerve.”
Duran, having broken through the troops, sneered coldly and aimed for the demon’s back.
The demon hastily created distance from Leo.
*Crrrrack-!*
Golden aura streaked through the air.
*Thud-!*
Landing lightly on the ground, Duran glared at the demon with flashing eyes.
“What did you do to my troops?”
“You mean that trash?”
Duran scoffed and gestured with his chin toward the troops the demon had summoned.
Piles of mangled corpses, melted and crushed by lightning, were strewn about.
“Duran. There are demon attacks in other places too.”
“I know.”
Duran’s lips curled into a smirk.
“So you go take care of the others. This one’s my prey.”
“You’ll be okay?”
The demon before them was no pushover.
“Ha?”
Duran looked incredulous.
“Who do you take me for, Leo Flove?”
Duran smirked.
*Crackle-!*
An aura of lightning swirled around his body.
“I don't need your concern.”
“Then I'll leave him to you.”
At Duran’s words, Leo took off.
“You!”
The demon desperately tried to chase after Leo.
*Zap!*
But a wall of golden lightning blocked his path.
“This isn't the time to be looking away, is it?”
Duran said in a chilling voice.
“I'll make you regret ever crawling into Lumerne.”
***
The area around the first-year dorms was a scene of utter chaos.
Demons had begun appearing out of nowhere.
Each of them summoned numerous corpses to attack the students.
In response, skilled students quickly organized to counter the sudden demon assault.
The ones who suffered the most were, as expected, the students from the three major class academies.
Unlike the Lumerne students, they couldn't react quickly to the sudden situation.
The difference between hero candidates and ordinary students was starkly clear.
‘Are they only attacking the area where the first-years are?’
Leo’s expression hardened as he gathered his spiritual power.
*Woooong-!*
A summoning circle opened, and Ati appeared.
[What is it, Master?]
Leo quickly mounted Ati’s back and pulled the reins.
“As high as you can!”
*Whoosh-!*
At his command, Ati shot into the sky at incredible speed.
*Whoosh-!*
Reaching a height where he could see all of Lumerne, Leo’s eyes widened.
It wasn’t just the first-year area.
The entirety of Lumerne was under attack.
‘What is this? Why are they attacking so recklessly?’
Leo calmly assessed the situation.
Lumerne was certainly in chaos due to the surprise attack.
But that was only because of its suddenness.
Once they regrouped and launched a counterattack, all these invaders would surely be wiped out in an instant.
This was the main base for hero candidates.
There were even people here with skills comparable to heroes.
‘Attacking Lumerne like this won't cause much damage and is just a waste of forces. So why?’
Even if Silatuna was reckless, she wouldn't launch such a foolish attack.
‘If she were this reckless, we would have been able to eliminate her long ago.’
As Leo’s expression darkened, something flashed through his mind.
‘The Hall of Heroes.’
Leo pulled the reins.
‘I don't know what they're plotting, but their plan involves doing something at the Hall of Heroes.’
*Whoosh-!*
Leo flew swiftly toward Lumerne's Great Library.
***
The top floor of the Hero's Tower.
Kalian and Riven, who were in the headmaster's office, were the first to notice the disturbance in the academy.
Kalian, who had been sitting in his executive chair, stood up.
Riven, too, was about to leap toward the office window.
*Woooong-!*
Suddenly, dark magic enveloped the headmaster's office, and both of their eyes twitched.
‘A curse of severance?’
At the sudden manifestation of a powerful curse, Kalian and Riven simultaneously turned their heads toward the office door.
*Creeak-!*
With it, the door opened, and the headmaster’s secretary, Elena, appeared.
“I see. You were closer than I thought.”
Riven let out a deep sigh, and Elena smiled brightly.
“How was it? My acting? Wasn't it flawless?”
“Where is the real Elena?”
“Why, she's right here.”
She pointed a finger at her stomach.
“She’s been in my belly for a long time.”
As Elena smiled, her tone shifting, Riven unleashed his magic.
*Slice-!*
In an instant, the demon’s head flew into the air.
“As expected of you lizards, so heartless. To be so ruthless after we were so close.”
Floating in the air, the demon’s head burst into cackles.
Seeing this, Riven, with no change in expression, extended his hand.
Thin, long threads of magic formed around the demon.
*Squeeze-!*
As Riven clenched his fist, the magical threads began to coil together like a skein of yarn.
*Squish-!*
Blood and flesh splattered from between the threads of magic.
Looking at the demon, which had been crushed without a trace, Riven withdrew his magic.
*Splat-!*
A grotesque lump of flesh fell to the floor.
*Hissssss-!*
The floor of the headmaster's office melted as a potent poison was released.
*Writhe-!*
But the lump of flesh and blood soon began to writhe and coalesce, starting to take on a human form again.
Seeing this, Riven narrowed his brow.
‘Incredible regeneration speed. With this kind of regeneration…’
“A Legion Commander?”
In response to the question, the demon, whose lower face had reformed, gave a thick smile.
“Correct. Kihihik.”
With a chilling laugh, the lump of flesh continued to take shape.
*Squirm-squirm-! Crack-!*
“Shall I introduce myself? Kikikik-”
The woman, her face now fully formed, wore an expression of pure madness.
“My name is Silatuna.”
At those words, Riven’s face hardened.
“The one you all fear so much, the one you call the Monster Queen.”
***
*Step- step-*
The Great Library was as silent as a tomb.
It was only natural.
The sudden invasion of Tartaros had begun.
Never in the history of Lumerne had the academy been attacked by Tartaros.
In this unprecedented event, it was only natural that all attention was focused on eliminating the invaders from Tartaros.
‘Silatuna will hold back the most troublesome ones, the Sword Saint and the dragon.’
Of course, she couldn't hold them for long.
The three Legion Commanders currently leading Tartaros: the Monster Queen, the Necro King, and the Giant King.
Even among Legion Commanders, they were terrifyingly powerful monsters compared to those born after the Age of Calamity.
But even so, she was merely a ‘fragment.’
It would be difficult for a single fragment to stop the Sword Saint, who had defeated a Legion Commander in the past.
‘Even so, a little time is all I need!’
He just needed to get in before someone figured out Tartaros was targeting the Hall of Heroes.
‘If I can just get my hands on that hateful sword...! I will again! Again!’
His crimson-black eyes flashed.
He reached for the door of the Hall of Heroes with an ecstatic look.
*Whoosh-! Thwack!*
“……!”
A sword wreathed in gray aura flew through the air and pierced the back of his hand.
“So you were aiming for this place after all.”
A cold voice rang out.
“Looks like my instincts haven't dulled. Seeing as I can still predict your patterns.”
Turning his head, he saw a boy with white hair smirking at him.
“Or maybe you're just not making any progress?”