Chapter 269
Chapter Title: I'll Be the One to Judge
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269
“The specific specs for the gear we'll be using?”
“Hmm... I haven't really thought about it.”
The Lumerne students looked troubled.
Not just the regular students, but even the top students of each department showed their discomfort.
“I have a general idea of the specs for the magic staff I use.”
Chelsea took a staff from her robes.
While Abad and Chloe used long staffs as tall as themselves, Chelsea's primary staff was a short one, about 30cm long.
Of course, since different types of staffs had their own pros and cons, Chelsea also owned a long magic staff.
Karl laced his fingers behind his head and said.
“That staff you like to use is one of the Llewellyn family's heirlooms, isn't it?”
“Yeah, that's right. It's Flamen, the one the fifth family head used.”
Flamen.
It was a weapon classified in the same grade as Celia's beloved sword, 'Flame Storm.'
Weapon grades are broadly divided into five categories.
[Common], [Magic], [Heroic], [Legendary].
And finally, [Divine].
[Common] refers to armaments made of steel produced by an ordinary blacksmith.
They are the most common type of weapon and possess no special power.
From the [Magic] grade onward are weapons crafted by blacksmiths with expertise in magical engineering.
Weapons that have undergone a special process using magical engineering or are imbued with mana are classified as [Magic].
[Heroic] are weapons from the Magic grade that possess special powers, used by hero-class individuals.
Above that, Legendary refers to weapons whose names are recorded in the Hero Record.
Finally, [Divine].
Weapons crafted by the hand of a god.
Throughout history, only one person could create [Divine] grade weapons.
Dweno, the divine blacksmith, was the only one.
Both Celia's Flame Storm and Chelsea's Flamen were [Legendary] grade.
They were the symbolic weapons of the Jerdinger and Llewellyn families.
“I'm jealous every time I see it.”
Karl admired Flamen.
It was a weapon that an ordinary mage could strive for their entire life and still be lucky to even catch a glimpse of, let alone obtain.
“Come to think of it, there are four people in our year with Legendary grade weapons, right?”
Celia, Abad, Chelsea, and Eliza, all hailing from prestigious hero families with deep-rooted histories.
The Jerdinger, Llewellyn, and Hergin families had histories and renown that set them apart from ordinary hero families.
Even Duran, whose family history was short, didn't have a weapon classified as [Legendary] in his family.
'Seeing things like this makes me wonder how I ended up being friends with these people.'
As Karl marveled at this.
Chloe asked.
“With a magic staff of that caliber, do you really need another one?”
“Not necessarily. Flamen is a powerful magic staff, that's true, but it's not omnipotent. It's highly compatible with my specialty, wind magic, but it doesn't mesh well with other types of magic at all.”
Chelsea pouted.
“It's a staff with more power than any other, but that's why I can't wield it perfectly. I have to adapt to the staff. That's why I need a custom-made magic staff.”
A weapon that holds immense power is inherently difficult to handle.
Chelsea was a talented mage, but she was still an inexperienced fifteen-year-old.
Although she was Flamen's master, she couldn't yet wield it to its full potential.
The same was true for Celia, Abad, and Eliza.
“But no matter how I think about it, is it really necessary to know the specific details of a weapon just to commission a magic staff?”
“Yeah. The way Master Depetto put it, it sounded like understanding the weapon itself was more important than just knowing its specs.”
Just as Chloe nodded in agreement with Chelsea's words.
“You need to know.”
Just then, Leo approached the magic department students and spoke.
Karl tilted his head.
“Is it that advantageous to know?”
“It's very advantageous.”
At Leo's words, Emio, who had been listening from a distance, smirked.
“Shall we hear just how advantageous it is, according to the student council president's advice?”
“Ugh, there he goes again, acting all high and mighty.”
Chelsea looked annoyed.
Seeing her, Emio scowled.
“Are you trying to pick a fight?”
“You started it.”
Chelsea stuck out her tongue.
“Now, now, let's stop fighting and listen.”
Abad stepped between them.
“Hmph!”
Chelsea scoffed, and Emio twisted his face in disgust before turning away.
“Leo. Can you tell us what you're thinking?”
At Abad's question, Leo took out an ore from his pocket.
“Mithril?”
Karl, skilled in alchemy, recognized the mithril ore at once.
“That's right. I borrowed it from Depetto Smith.”
Leo tossed the unrefined mithril ore up and down in his hand as he spoke.
“At Lumerne, you learn the basics of magical engineering, so I don't need to explain the properties of mithril, right?”
“It has high mana conductivity and a mana amplification effect.”
“Correct. That's why it's the most commonly chosen base material for magic staffs.”
“Hmph, everyone knows something that basic. Did you come over here to talk common sense after making it sound like something grand?”
In response to Emio's cynical remark, Leo tossed the mithril ore to him.
*Thwack-!*
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
“Can you cast an enchantment on that ore?”
Emio scoffed and cast an enchantment spell.
*Fwoosh-!*
Murmurs of admiration erupted from the onlookers as they saw the mithril ore burst into flames.
It wasn't just because he had cast an enchantment.
'There's almost no mana loss, is there?'
'Even with mithril ore, if you enchant an ore with so many impurities, there's bound to be some mana loss.'
It was impossible without exceptional mana control.
Most of the magic department students here would inevitably lose mana if they tried to cast a spell on an ore with such high impurity levels.
If it contained mithril, mana loss could be almost eliminated, even with many impurities.
“Why give me a task so easy it's yawn-inducing?”
Emio tossed the enchanted mithril ore back to Leo.
*Thwack-*
Leo caught the mithril ore with little difficulty.
Emio's magic was dispelled in an instant.
“Impressive. But you didn't fully utilize the properties of mithril.”
“Are you finding fault with my enchantment magic?”
“I'm not finding fault, just pointing out what was lacking.”
*Fwoooosh-!*
“......!”
Emio's eyes widened.
Leo had enchanted the mithril ore.
It erupted with a firepower that was incomparable to Emio's flames.
The spell used was the same, and the amount of mana used was the same.
And yet, Leo's magic produced a much stronger effect.
“Did you use some special magic formula? A trick of the eye. How petty.”
“Unfortunately, this is the exact same spell you used.”
Leo held out the flaming ore for all to see.
No matter how you looked at it, the formula was identical to the one Emio had used.
Seeing this, Emio's face contorted.
Chloe's eyes went wide as she asked.
“How did you do that?”
“I utilized mithril's mana amplification property.”
“But isn't it nearly impossible to utilize that property with an ore of such low purity?”
Chloe's eyes sparkled.
She was showing her curiosity for things she didn't understand.
“It's not easy. But it's possible if you know the exact mithril content of this ore.”
Leo dispelled the magic.
“It's the same with weapons. If you know exactly what materials they're made of and what properties they have, you can wield them more freely. This applies to knights, mages, and summoners alike.”
At Leo's words, Chelsea raised her hand.
“Leo, but even without knowing all those specifics, we can all use our magic staffs freely, right? Everyone uses their own gear to 100% of its ability, don't they?”
The students nodded at Chelsea's words.
But Abad and Chloe thought for a moment before speaking.
“It's true that we all utilize our staffs' abilities to 100%. But is there anyone who pushes them to their absolute limit?”
Chelsea paused at Abad's question.
“Well... no.”
“Right. If you use it too much, it gets overloaded.”
“But Leo just cast a very stable enchantment on that mithril ore.”
Chloe continued.
“If you think of that mithril ore as a magic staff, it's as if he used our staffs' abilities to their absolute limit without any strain.”
The magic department students began to murmur among themselves.
Leo nodded at her words.
“That's right. In truth, this has little to do with magic technique. It's just a skill for handling objects well. It's not particularly helpful in normal situations, but.”
Leo said calmly.
“In an extreme situation, the difference between knowing this and not knowing it is huge. It can be a matter of life and death.”
The magic department students swallowed nervously at Leo's words.
Now that they were second-years, their academic life would begin to involve life-threatening situations in earnest.
That was why the word 'life' coming from Leo carried a different weight.
“As hero candidates aiming for the next level, the skill to perfectly grasp and utilize our gear's specs must be essential.”
Leo nodded at Abad's murmur.
“Yes. And I hear that blacksmiths can judge a person's worth based on the kind of weapon they request.”
“Who says?”
“A blacksmith I know told me.”
Leo said with a smile.
“I'm going to return this.”
Leo took the ore and headed toward Depetto.
Hearing Leo's words, the motivated magic department students began jotting down the specs of the weapons they had in mind in their notebooks.
“Abad, what are you doing?”
Karl asked with a puzzled expression, seeing Abad staring intently at Leo's back.
“No, it's just... I'm feeling the gap between us again.”
Abad muttered, clenching and unclenching his fist.
'It's not a difference in talent... it doesn't feel like that.'
Abad looked down at his hand, confused.
'It feels like a difference in experience.'
“You're just realizing that now?”
Karl said, looking at the slightly stiff Abad.
“You're the one who dragged me into your dorm, saying you'd beat Leo, right? I was supposed to be in Leo's dorm, enjoying a peaceful school life. But you dragged me in, didn't you? Someone like you can't be showing a lack of confidence!”
“That's true.”
At Karl's words, Abad gave his characteristic gentle smile.
'He really is ridiculously handsome.'
Karl wore a bitter expression.
“In that case, Karl. Did you find out what kind of weapon Leo is commissioning?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Let's call it checking up on the target I need to surpass.”
“I thought you said you wouldn't use me as a spy?”
“Friends can tell each other things, can't they?”
Abad casually slung an arm around his shoulder.
Karl said to him.
“I don't know either. I asked him to show me, but he said he didn't prepare anything.”
“No way.”
Leo was a model student, through and through.
That's why he was so thorough when it came to academic preparations.
For Abad, it was hard to believe that such a person would come completely unprepared.
“Chloe. Do you happen to know what Leo is planning to commission from Demian?”
“He said he didn't prepare anything.”
Chloe also shook her head, not understanding.
At those words, Abad wore a strange expression.
'What is he thinking?'
***
After two hours had passed.
The presentations began.
The schools took turns presenting.
And it was the students from Lumerne and Seirun who stumbled through their presentations.
They were used to presenting their academic achievements, but many students struggled to present on a completely unfamiliar topic.
They explained the specific specs well, but what tripped them up was the materials.
Watching the student presentations, Depetto nodded.
'As expected, they're excellent. Especially since they all seem to have some grasp of what Demian wants from this presentation.'
To understand the weapon one will wield.
That means drawing out the full potential of the weapon one uses.
'There are many powerful weapons in this world.'
And there are plenty of people who are wielded by their weapons.
And most of those powerful weapons are made right here at Demian.
The students and graduates of Demian.
The blacksmiths who inherited the will of the great divine blacksmith, Dweno, forge and forge again to reach his realm.
'A craftsman wants someone who can perfectly handle the items they've created.'
An undeserved weapon is just pearls before swine.
Most of the Demian students held this belief.
That is why the blacksmiths desire a user who fits their ideals.
'This year's second-years are especially dexterous.'
And their pride as smiths was just as high.
'Well, there is one eccentric mixed in.'
Depetto's eyes fell on a female Demian student with sparkling eyes, who was busily scribbling notes.
'That Driana, she's not critiquing the weapon being presented, but the charm of the presenter again!'
Watching the artsy Driana, Depetto pressed his temples.
“Hoh?”
Just then, a sound of admiration came from the Demian students.
A male student from Lumerne's magic department was presenting.
'Let's see, a magic staff exclusively for magic bullets. The presenter is... Karl Thomas?'
The weapon's concept was intriguing.
'Not a weapon for defeating enemies, but one for keeping them in check... I see, is he aspiring to be a supporter? To be a supporter at his age. He's decided on his path early.'
One could tell what role he was aiming for just by the direction of the weapon.
A supporter-aspirant, very rare among hero candidates.
The students from the other schools looked uninterested.
But the Demian students' eyes sparkled at the ingenuity.
As smiths, they showed fervent interest in clever items that stimulated their craftsmanship.
'He seems to have some knowledge of material engineering as well... He's more suited to be a production partner than a client.'
Depetto watched Karl with amusement.
Not just Depetto, but the other Demian students also showed great interest in Karl.
Meanwhile.
The presentations of the skilled students began.
As for the top students from each school, their requested weapon specs were as impressive as their skills.
“A battle axe made of an alloy of 70% adamantium, 15% mithril, and 5% orichalcum, coated with black iron.”
Azonia's second-year, number two student, the beastkin Dion Den, perfectly conveyed his desired weapon's requirements to the Demian students.
It wasn't just Dion Den.
Surprisingly, of the three schools, Azonia was giving the best presentations.
Their requests were all concise yet clear.
Watching from backstage, Celia crossed her arms.
“That's surprising. For them to present so perfectly.”
Hearing Celia, Ar, who was listening from behind, snorted.
“For a warrior, perfectly grasping the weapon they will use is the most basic of basics!”
“I see. That's something I should learn.”
Celia nodded.
“By the way, I have something to ask the black rabbit.”
“Leo's last. Your turn is in three. Ask him after your presentation.”
“The black rabbit's cousin is so strict.”
'Just how long is she going to call Leo the black rabbit? If he were a white rabbit, maybe I'd get it.'
Being called a black rabbit made Celia feel self-conscious for some reason.
And so, the presentations reached their final stage.
Standing at the very back, Leo watched the Demian students who were observing the presentations with serious expressions, his arms crossed.
'Well, everyone wants their creations to be used by someone worthy. Dweno was like that too.'
Dweno wasn't particularly interested in making weapons.
But as a creator, he was a man who unfailingly displayed the temperament of a master craftsman, making things only for those he deemed 'qualified'.
The first day Dweno joined the subjugation party.
He had declared.
'You are to use no weapons other than the ones I make for you.'
'But I use Folium?'
'Isn't that a staff made by a god himself?'
Dweno glanced at Luna once before continuing.
'I am an artist, but before that, I am a craftsman who makes things. I cannot tolerate those I've acknowledged using items made by other craftsmen.'
Dweno's lips curled into a smirk.
'If a situation arises where you must use another's work, make one thing clear. That you are people acknowledged by me, Dweno, and are provided with custom-made weapons. Therefore...'
“Leo Flove.”
Finally, it was Leo's turn.
*Step— Step—*
Leo walked onto the stage.
The Demian students showed interest in the appearance of the unprecedented All-Class.
The Demian students' eyes gleamed.
They were curious to see what kind of weapon the All-Class would present.
Amidst their anticipation, Leo spoke.
“I am confident I can perfectly wield any weapon.”
The Demian students froze at Leo's words.
“So I expect you to make something good.”
Every student looked dumbfounded.
This was a place for the Demian students to evaluate the students from the other hero academies.
And in that very place, Leo had made a declaration.
'I will absolutely not tolerate you being judged. If any of you display such a foolish disgrace, I'll smash your head in with a hammer, so be warned!'
“Because I'll be the one doing the judging.”