Chapter 329
Chapter Title: An Unsurpassable Wall
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“To surpass one’s limits and achieve the impossible…”
Leo said, looking at Chelsea who was staring right at him.
“You know that’s easier said than done, right, Chelsea?”
Leo let out a laugh.
It was different from his usual gentle smile.
A sharp-edged laugh.
An absolute aura that overwhelmed everything.
Just facing him made one’s hair stand on end.
But.
‘I can’t afford to act like a spoiled child!’
She had resolved not to give up, to be acknowledged as a comrade.
As if he were trying to leave her behind.
She had decided to chase after Leo, who was so far ahead.
*Whoooosh-!*
Wind swirled around Chelsea.
Watching Chelsea arm herself with wind, Leo tightened his grip on the reins.
*Crackle-!*
Artie let out a massive bolt of lightning and snorted, then charged toward Chelsea.
Painting a white flash across the sky, Leo closed the distance with Chelsea in an instant.
Chelsea aimed her staff at Leo.
“Wind Sickle!”
As Chelsea unleashed the spell, countless scythes of wind descended upon Leo.
*Kwagagagak-!*
Leo maneuvered Artie, easily dodging the hundreds of wind scythes.
Leo, a master at controlling a pegasus, executed evasive maneuvers that were nothing short of divine.
Seeing this, Chelsea gripped her staff tightly.
‘I already expected this.’
No matter how many spells Chelsea spammed, overpowering Leo would be difficult.
Her opponent was Leo Flove.
The possessor of overwhelming martial prowess.
Chelsea chanted a spell.
*Fwoosh-fwoosh-fwoosh-!*
Chelsea’s body multiplied.
‘Wind Clone.’
A spell that creates clones using one’s primary elemental affinity.
Among the second-years, the best user of clone magic was Chloe, and right after her was Chelsea.
Ten Chelseas charged at Leo all at once.
Leo’s eyes narrowed.
‘Her clone magic has improved.’
Leo was also aware of Chelsea’s signature magic.
Using clones to disorient opponents in close combat was Chelsea’s specialty.
‘I won’t be able to tell the real one from the fakes by the flow of mana.’
Her magic had become more refined.
Leo glanced at the Chelseas.
“Wind Boom!”
As Chelsea's spell completed, ten spells flew toward Leo.
Leo’s red eyes flashed for a moment.
*Fwoosh-!*
Just before reaching Leo, Chelsea’s spells turned into a gentle breeze.
He hadn’t blocked it, nor had he dodged it.
He had nullified the magic itself.
Chelsea’s specialty was high-speed casting.
The advantage of high-speed casting, which completed spells at incredible speeds, was, of course, the rapid completion of magic.
But its disadvantage was just as clear.
The magical formulas used were simple.
Of course, they weren't so simple that they could be analyzed and nullified in an instant.
Especially for a mage of Chelsea’s level, even the formulas used for high-speed casting were complex.
‘But my opponent is Leo.’
Chelsea gritted her teeth.
In combat, their ‘capabilities’ as mages were on a different level.
She knew that fact.
*Flash-! Kwagagagang-!*
Emitting a white flash, Leo charged toward Chelsea.
Taking a deep breath, Chelsea’s eyes widened as she scattered her clones.
“Wind Chain.”
*Kigigigigik-!*
Chains of wind extended from Chelsea’s staff and wrapped around Leo’s body.
His body bound, Leo looked at Chelsea.
Chelsea’s role wasn’t to defeat Leo.
It was merely to tie him down until Woreden’s attack was ready.
She just needed to stall Leo for a little while.
Therefore, buying time like this wasn’t a bad choice.
“In a normal situation, that is.”
*Kigigiging-! Snap-!*
Leo forcefully broke the Wind Chain binding his left arm.
Then he grabbed the Wind Chain and pulled one of Chelsea’s clones toward him.
*Fwoosh-!*
Pulled by Leo’s brutish strength, Chelsea’s clone struggled in mid-air.
*Poof-!*
When Leo swung his hand, the clone exploded like a balloon and vanished without a trace.
Leo’s impassive eyes turned to one specific Chelsea among the remaining nine.
‘He found me!’
Chelsea’s expression changed.
“No matter how perfect the clones are, finding the real one is surprisingly easy.”
*Grip! Yank-!*
Leo grabbed Chelsea’s Wind Chain and pulled.
Pulled by the tremendous force, Chelsea was instantly dragged toward him.
*Grab-!*
“Gah!”
Leo’s hand seized the nape of Chelsea’s neck.
“I can tell by the movements.”
*Squeeze-!*
“Kuhh!”
Leo tightened his grip on Chelsea’s neck.
Choked, Chelsea wore a pained expression.
“It’s over.”
Looking at the impassive Leo, Chelsea curled her lips into a smile.
“H-Hmph! As if I’d… give up so easily!”
*Woooong-!*
Magical formulas appeared all over Chelsea’s body.
Seeing that, Leo’s eyes twitched.
A powerful surge of mana swirled.
‘Self-destruction?’
“You’ll just get eliminated and that’ll be the end of it.”
“Isn't it obvious that I'd have to take this kind of gamble against you, Leo?”
Chelsea grinned.
For some reason, he thought her smile resembled his own.
Looking at Chelsea, Leo said,
“Impressive.”
*Flash-! KABOOM-!*
Leo was engulfed in the flash of light that erupted from Chelsea’s body.
An explosion that burned away all her mana in an instant.
The powerful, point-blank explosion made Leo’s head spin.
The bracelet indicating his life points glowed orange.
Leo watched Chelsea fall to the ground.
‘She barely avoided elimination.’
A spell that caused a magical explosion by burning all of one’s mana.
It was a gamble of a spell, but it was the surest way for Chelsea to deal damage to Leo.
Leo looked up.
*Rumble-rumble-rumble-!*
The massive landmass summoned by Woreden crashed down on Leo in an instant.
*Fwoosh-!*
Abad, releasing his wind magic, urgently descended to save Chelsea.
*Chwaaaaak-!*
Eliza’s Delphinus created a barrier of water, cutting off Leo’s escape route.
The ‘one shot’ they had struggled so desperately to prepare descended upon Leo.
“Kids these days grow up so fast.”
Leo burst out laughing.
Just a year ago, they were all greenhorns.
‘Well, they’re still greenhorns… but.’
In just one year, they had grown enough to face a trial with confidence.
For them, today must have been the worst.
Leo’s peers were different from him.
He, who had barely managed to defeat Erebos after enduring endless trials, countless despairs, and losing everything.
And these young boys and girls, in their mid-to-late teens, who had not yet fully blossomed.
‘Our starting lines were different from the beginning.’
To his peers, Leo was an insurmountable wall.
That was why he had been considerate until now.
But…
‘There are things you can only learn by falling or bowing your head.’
People call that a trial.
‘The only way to learn how to stand up and raise your head… is by falling and bowing it first.’
Leo had thought it would take them longer to get back up.
The gap Leo had shown them was that despair-inducing.
But they overcame it in the blink of an eye.
Whether it was the fearlessness unique to teenagers.
Or simply a childish rebelliousness, he couldn't tell.
But more than Leo had thought.
His peers were strong, and they knew how to fight against trials.
Staring at the landmass that was now right before him, Leo muttered.
“…But I have no intention of going down quietly.”
*Kwagagagang-!*
The landmass crushed Leo.
***
“C-Class Rep…”
Iliana collapsed to the ground.
The other Glory students did the same.
The Harmony and Noble students, who had been swept away by the tidal wave and put on the defensive, clenched their fists and let out cheers.
“I-It’s over!”
“This means Glory is done for, right? Right?!”
“Woooooah!”
Celia and Duran also stopped fighting.
Chloe sighed, and Chen Xia smiled faintly.
*Shwaaaaaa-!*
The water of Lake Lumeria, which had been under Leo’s control, slowly receded.
It wasn’t on the level of a landslide.
It was an attack like an entire mountain crashing down.
“That wasn't Mountain Attack, but what the hell.”
Karl, who had planned the strategy, looked appalled.
“It was a good plan.”
Abad, supporting the unconscious Chelsea, came over to Karl with his characteristic smile.
“Ahem! If we get Chelsea eliminated now, does our dorm win?”
“Technically, yes… but I don’t think Duran or Eliza would forgive you.”
“Just kidding. Chelsea and Celia would probably try to kill me too, right? What’s the point of winning the exam if I end up dead?”
Karl plopped down on the spot.
“My legs have turned to jelly.”
Woreden and Eliza also approached Karl.
“Seriously… we barely won, and it was half luck. It’s a good thing Leo insisted on a direct confrontation to crush us with pure power.”
At Karl’s words, Woreden looked at the place where Leo was buried.
“…Next time, this won’t happen. Win or lose, I will face him alone.”
“Hmph, I agree.”
“Hey, it was great teamwork! You guys are too harsh!”
Karl flashed his usual affable smile.
But Woreden used a wind spirit to snatch Chelsea from Abad.
Abad and Eliza protected Karl.
“Now that we’ve dealt with Leo Flove, you’re next.”
“Hmph. Now that Leo Flove is dealt with, there’s no reason to cooperate with you.”
Woreden and Eliza said simultaneously.
At that, Karl muttered.
“…I was deliberately avoiding saying that.”
“Saying what?”
Abad asked with a curious expression, and Karl replied.
“You know, like in novels? When someone says ‘We got him,’ the enemy is never actually down…”
*Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-*
“…and then they reappear…”
*RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE! KRA-BOOOOOOM-!*
The landmass that had crushed Leo shot upwards.
And on top of it, Leo revealed himself.
Seeing Leo emerge from the rubble with a chilling smile, Karl’s face turned pale.
Woreden, Abad, and Eliza instinctively took combat stances.
But they couldn’t help but look appalled at the sight of Leo, who appeared full of killing intent.
“Not bad. So, is that all you’ve got?”
Leo smiled and raised his hand.
*Fwooooosh-!*
He unleashed a tremendous flame.
But this was their limit.
Woreden, Abad, and Eliza. All three had squeezed out every last bit of their strength in the previous attack.
Leo’s life-point bracelet was also glowing red.
However, the three of them now lacked the strength to protect the unconscious Chelsea and the non-combatant Karl from Leo’s flames.
Glancing at his friends, Leo said coldly.
“If that’s all, shall we end this?”
At that terrifying sight, Karl muttered in a despairing voice.
“…At this point… he’s basically the Demon King.”
*Kwagagagagagang-!*
Leo’s flames engulfed everything.
***
Chelsea opened her eyes.
‘The infirmary…?’
Blinking, Chelsea gasped and shot up.
“The mock battle! Ahhhhhhh?!”
As she shouted urgently, Chelsea screamed from the pain that wracked her entire body.
“You’re finally awake?”
Celia, her eyes slightly red, asked.
Chelsea quickly asked in return.
“What happened with the mock battle?”
“…”
Celia let out a small sigh and turned on the magical communication device installed in the infirmary.
*Vmmm-!*
-And now, we will begin the MVP award ceremony for this dorm mock battle. The award will be presented by the Head Professor of the second year, Professor Sedgen. MVP, student Leo Flove, please come forward.
Along with Lunba’s words, Leo could be seen walking onto the stage.
-Congratulations on your victory in the mock battle.
-Thank you.
“…So we lost.”
Chelsea gave a bitter smile.
Seeing this, Celia stood up from her seat.
“Now that I’ve confirmed you’re awake, I’ll be going.”
“Okay.”
Chelsea answered without taking her eyes off the screen.
After Celia left the room, Chelsea clenched her fists tightly.
She had always been happy for Leo’s achievements as if they were her own.
But today…
Even though she did her best, she couldn’t win.
She knew the gap between her and Leo.
And yet…
‘It’s frustrating.’
Bowing her head and gritting her teeth, Chelsea held back her tears.
In the hallway, Celia slapped her own cheeks.
‘Don’t cry. Crying won’t change anything.’
Taking a deep breath, Celia straightened her back.
Now was the time to congratulate her cousin, Leo, as a direct descendant of the Jerdinger Family.
Noble Dormitory.
“D-Duran. I told you not to push yourself, what are you doing?”
“Shut up.”
Duran was training his strength in the training room.
He answered coldly to the dorm mate who was trying to stop him.
“Abad~ There’s a party today, aren’t you getting ready? You’ve been staring at that grimoire for a while now. I know it’s frustrating that we lost… but the exam is over, so we should have some fun.”
The female Noble students whined at Abad, who was reading a grimoire in the Noble library, but Abad only offered his characteristic smile.
Eliza was on the roof of the Noble dormitory, refining her spiritual power with her eyes closed.
Woreden was in the Harmony dormitory, communing with the spirits.
The center of Lumerne.
Standing on the roof of the Hero’s Tower, Mel looked down at the scenery of Lumerne, which was now dyed in twilight as the sun set.
“You wanted an indomitable hero, one who could stand up even after being frustrated… falling… and hitting their limits, didn’t you?”
The Great Hero, who had blamed himself for not being able to stand up,
wanted the students to walk a different path from his own.
That is why he left the words ‘Surpass your limits’ for future generations.
“Your will is still being passed down well to the future generations. So please, just hold on a little longer.”
Mel clenched her fists as she looked out at the twilight-dyed Lumerne.
“Because the person you admired… will come to save you.”