Chapter 180
Chapter Title: Bible
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180
“Bible?”
It was Leo’s unique magic, which he had presented during the practical exam for the first semester’s magic department midterm.
The magic was so preposterous that even Torua remembered it.
‘He said it was a magic that allows one to use every spell in the world without penalty, right?’
It was an unbelievable claim.
Every magic in the world.
That meant it included not only commonly known spells but unique magic as well.
The number of standard spells alone was countless.
And yet, he had designed a magic that could even utilize unique magic.
‘This isn't human magic.’
Everyone who encountered Leo’s unique magic thought the same.
But during the midterm, Leo had even presented the basic formula that made the magic possible.
That alone was enough to show everyone that this first-year was serious about completing it.
‘When they saw the thesis, everyone called him a madman.’
But Torua had taken a liking to Leo.
Possible or not, what Leo pursued was the very ideal of a mage.
However, as shocking as Leo’s magic ‘Bible’ was, it was deemed too impractical and soon faded from people’s minds.
Even Torua only remembered it as, ‘Oh right, he did that thing.’
And yet…
‘He actually manifested it?’
A look of astonishment spread across Torua’s face.
If she had only heard about it, she would never have believed it.
But right before her eyes stood Leo, using her own unique magic.
The ultimate form of magic, as Torua envisioned it, was right in front of her.
Feeling a thrill run through her entire body, Torua activated her magic.
Flash—!
Brilliant magic embroidered the empty air.
Leo immediately matched it, activating his own magic.
CR-CR-CR-CRACK—!
The spells collided in mid-air.
‘He’s really using my unique magic.’
Torua lowered her head.
Her body trembled.
She hadn't lived a long life.
But to see the fruits of a lifetime dedicated to magic being used by a first-year brat before her…
To see him casually copy the unique magic that symbolized a mage…
‘This is… this is…’
Torua raised her head.
‘So fascinating!’
Her eyes sparkling, Torua lifted her staff.
“Leo. I'm incredibly excited right now, you know? How is that possible? To what extent can you copy my magic?”
Whoooosh—!
A thrilling surge of mana began to swirl.
Seeing this, Leo broke out in a cold sweat.
‘She’s incredible.’
The title of Lumerne’s strongest mage was not earned for nothing.
She was destined to become a great archmage who would command the world.
A culmination of her own efforts and what she had gained from conquering the World of Heroes.
Zing— Flash—!
Leo’s eyes widened as he saw the immense number of unique magic circles embroidering the air.
Flash—!
“To think you can copy this too.”
Torua’s eyes glazed over slightly.
Before her was a miraculous magic, a feat that should have been impossible.
This unknown magic stimulated Torua, who was more brimming with curiosity than anyone else.
‘I want to study it. I want to study it. I want to study it. I want to study it. I want to study it.’
A single thought filled her mind.
Watching her, Leo felt a burning sensation behind his eyes.
‘Is it still too much for me?’
Leo's unique magic.
To be precise, the unique magic Kyle created was a technique only Kyle could perform, leveraging his specific mana trait.
The mana trait Lisinas had named ‘Pure’ could become anything, granting Leo the talent of an all-classer.
The same applied within each class.
It was not bound by any attribute.
Of course, it meant he couldn't reach the extreme in any one thing, but he was better than anyone at following paths others had already paved.
Bible was magic of a similar nature.
It momentarily amplified his formula calculation ability with mana.
Then, it analyzed another’s magic and absorbed it as is.
This was the principle behind Bible.
‘Of course, it’s not omnipotent.’
He couldn't use unique magic that required an innate trait he didn't possess—magic that couldn't be activated by formulas alone.
A prime example was Chloe’s world of ice.
Field magic was one of Leo’s weakest areas.
In that sense, Leo was a natural enemy to Torua.
All of Torua’s magic was a product built purely through her own effort.
Therefore, as long as he could calculate the formula, he could copy it.
‘Of course, the formulas are ridiculously complex.’
Leo felt his eyes sting.
He could feel the strain on his entire body from the overload.
‘Right now, copying is all I can manage.’
The completion of Bible would mean storing a formula after seeing it once and being able to use that magic as is the next time Bible was complete.
But for now, seeing and copying was his limit.
‘Besides, even if I completed Bible to its previous level, these spells would be impossible to manifest. They’re too complex.’
His mind couldn't remember them.
To use a book analogy, it was like running out of pages to write on.
Leo once again blocked Torua’s magic.
‘Bible’s current activation time is one minute.’
About thirty seconds, half the duration, had passed.
But cold sweat drenched his body.
His vision was blurry, and his head throbbed.
The limits from the overload were gradually approaching.
Despite that, a thoroughly excited Torua continued to fire off spells.
“Can you copy this one too? And this? This one?”
As if pulling toys from a toy box.
Watching Torua endlessly pour out new unique spells, Leo felt an immense drain on his mana and stamina.
It was just as Leo was reaching his limit.
BOOM—!
The lava golem blocking Torua’s goal on the ground exploded.
The ball had shattered the lava golem.
Torua’s eyes widened as she looked down at the ground.
Leo deactivated Bible and said.
“Looks like we won, didn’t we?”
“What?”
“You said you’d acknowledge our victory if we scored even one goal.”
“Ah…”
Torua recalled her earlier words, a dazed expression on her face.
Leo smiled at her and descended to the ground.
Everyone watched Leo with a strange expression.
As Leo landed, he staggered.
“Are you okay?”
Chloe hurriedly supported him.
“I’m just a little tired.”
“If you’re tired, you can lean on me.”
“Then I won’t refuse.”
As Leo leaned his weight on her, Chloe braced herself to hold him up.
Leo chuckled at the sight and held out his palm to Chloe.
After Chloe gave him a high-five, Abad and Chelsea also came over and high-fived Leo.
“Leo! You finally finished it?”
“That was amazing. Could you show me the magic formula next time?”
“Ah, me too.”
Just as the four of them were enjoying the friendly atmosphere.
“Who said the game was over?”
Torua stood imposingly before the first-years.
“Weren’t we the winners?”
Abad asked with his characteristic gentle smile, and Torua nodded.
“Yep. But there’s still time left.”
“You said you’d let us win if we scored one goal.”
Chelsea pouted, peeking out from behind Abad, as Torua replied.
“Yes. But promises are made to be broken.”
As Torua taught the first-years such a wonderful lesson, they stared at her with dumbfounded expressions.
“Torua. Promises are meant to be kept. You should treat the first-years with love.”
Ulta appeared and restrained Torua.
“Eiria. Let’s politely escort Torua off the field.”
Ulta summoned his Pegasus, Eiria, and had it drag Torua off the field.
“Aah! Let go of me!”
Watching Torua flail as she was dragged away by her hair, the first-years covered their mouths to stifle their laughter.
Ignoring them, Ulta looked at Leo and said.
“I thought you would use summoning.”
“Did you?”
“Your magic was quite impressive as well.”
Leo burst into laughter at Ulta’s words.
Meanwhile.
Fwoosh—
A sound from the adjacent field drew everyone’s attention to Celia.
The Bastera-exclusive ball was engulfed in flames.
Everyone stared in astonishment at Celia, who was pushing her firepower beyond its limits, even as she burned herself on her own flames.
Fwoosh—!
Celia’s flames were sucked into the Bastera ball.
As Celia threw the ball into the air, Duran, who had wrapped his feet in an aura of lightning, kicked it toward Chen Xia.
CRASH—! BZZZZZZT—!
Watching the ball, wrapped in flames and lightning aura, Chen Xia began to spin.
Whoosh—!
Drawing the ball into her radius of rotation, Chen Xia spun on the spot, adding acceleration to the ball.
Fwoosh— Bzzzt—
Her hands were a mess from the intense flames and lightning, but Chen Xia paid it no mind.
In this combination attack, Chen Xia herself was the most crucial part.
Having accelerated the ball to its maximum, Chen Xia sent it flying toward Jamua.
CR-CR-CRACK—!
Jamua marveled at the ball, which carried immense destructive power.
“Try and take this!”
Celia shouted confidently.
Jamua smiled faintly at her and swiftly dodged the ball.
KABOOOM—!
The ball entered the goal, and with a tremendous roar, it tore through the goalpost and destroyed the training ground wall.
“You win. That was amazing.”
Jamua laughed heartily and applauded.
Celia, covered in burns, Duran, whose feet were swollen from overusing his aura, and Chen Xia, whose hands were ruined from controlling the rampaging ball, all stared at Jamua with empty eyes.
“Wait a minute! Why did you dodge?”
Celia protested, and Jamua shrugged.
“If I took an attack like that head-on, even I would end up in the infirmary. And I hate pain.”
“Grraaaaaah!”
As Jamua folded his arms and burst out laughing, Celia tore at her hair.
Meanwhile, Lis, who had been watching, crossed his arms.
‘Celia, you’ve grown beyond recognition.’
He had expected his younger sister to grow a lot after enrolling at Lumerne.
But Celia’s growth rate had far surpassed his expectations.
‘And just now, Leo’s magic.’
Lis wasn't a mage, but he could tell at a glance how absurd Leo’s feat was.
And after seeing that magic, he could understand Ulta’s words about Leo already having the makings of a student council president.
‘It might not take long.’
Lis looked down at his hands.
They were soaked in cold sweat.
As the heir of Jerdinger, he had lived his entire life as ‘the best.’
Being still young, there were many stronger than him.
But Lis was confident he would surpass them all.
And as the master of Jerdinger, he never doubted that he would one day become ‘the best.’
That was why this was a first for him.
‘Seeing a junior who will surpass me.’
Looking at his cousin who would one day overtake him, Lis wiped his hands.
***
In the headmaster’s office, Kalian silently gazed at his beloved sword.
Clesis, the old sword.
But it was also a sword that held an unbelievably vast amount of mana.
This sword was a symbol of the Sword Saint and was also regarded as one of the most powerful swords in the world.
A sword whose origins were unknown.
‘But in that moment, it was as if it had become brand new.’
Kalian was lost in thought, recalling the time he defeated the remnant of the Curse King, Kigorus.
‘The lingering traces of mana on the sword definitely belong to Leo Flove.’
Not only was he an unprecedented all-classer, but he had defeated formidable opponents to become the year representative.
On top of that, he had already conquered the World of the Great Hero twice and found proof of Kyle’s existence, who was thought to be a myth—an unbelievable first-year.
Those who become heroes show extraordinary promise from their first year.
Kalian himself had an exceptional school life as a Lumerne student right from his first year.
But he couldn't dare compare himself to Leo.
‘What is his identity?’
He had wondered countless times.
The Sword Saint had seen in Leo not a young boy, but the seasoned bearing of a veteran hero, time and again.
‘Elena Jer-on seems to view Leo as having the potential of a Great Hero, but… it’s different. He is already like the Great Heroes of legend.’
As Kalian stroked his chin, lost in thought.
Knock, knock—
At the sound of the knock, Kalian spoke.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Lis entered.
“Lis, what is it?”
Lis looked at Kalian, who asked with a curious expression, and said.
“I’m here to recommend a candidate for student council president.”
“After much deliberation, you’ve finally decided, I see. So, who is it?”
“It’s Leo Flove.”
At the mention of an unexpected student’s name, Kalian let out a short laugh.