Chapter 518
Chapter Title: Essence of Lightning
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518.
“Ready to die?”
Eliza narrowed her eyes and looked at Leo.
“I'm well aware that you put Celia Jerdinger and Chelsea Llewellyn through harsh training.”
Saying that, Eliza's lips curled into a smirk.
“Do you think I haven't done that much training myself?”
Even now, Celia and Chelsea were still training continuously.
But they no longer trained with Leo like before.
That was because they each trained on their own, without Leo needing to constantly watch over them.
And seeing the intensity of Celia and Chelsea's training, the other students also increased the intensity of their personal training.
As a result, Eliza also put herself through training no less harsh than Celia's and Chelsea's.
Leo crossed his arms, looking at the scoffing Eliza.
“I never really put those two through any harsh training, you know.”
“What did you say?”
“I had them do some tough training, but I never pushed them to the point where you could call it harsh.”
At his words, Eliza's eye twitched.
*This guy.*
Eliza had always acted nonchalant, but she had pushed herself to the extreme.
Hearing Leo call that ‘tough’ training made her grind her teeth.
“Well, it seems you need physical training, but the training you'll have to risk your life for isn't that kind.”
“Then what are you planning to make me do?”
At Eliza's question, Leo opened his palm.
*Crackle-!*
Eliza's eyes widened when she saw the pure white lightning manifest in Leo's hand.
“The power of a Pegasus? But such purity?”
The Hergin family had, for generations, formed contracts with powerful phantom beasts.
As such, those born with the aptitude to form a pact with one of the three great phantom beasts were assigned a pact-mate from birth.
Eliza was one of them.
Her spiritual power had good synergy with a Pegasus.
Therefore, Eliza's future pact-mate had been decided since she was young, and she had met that pact-mate several times.
Of course, they had never spoken.
The three great phantom beasts were fundamentally proud creatures.
Even if she was their future contractor, they wouldn't deign to speak with someone who was not yet qualified.
But even so, she could tell that the power of the lightning in Leo's hand was incomparable to the power of other Pegasi.
Watching Eliza swallow dryly, Leo spoke.
“This is the Essence of Lightning.”
“The Essence of Lightning? Wait a minute, that's...!”
Eliza's eyes filled with shock.
“That's right.”
Leo withdrew the Essence of Lightning.
“It's the essence of power from the Pegasus Kings, whose line ended 5,000 years ago.”
“How do you have that?”
“It was a reward for clearing a Hero Record.”
“When on earth did you get it?”
Eliza asked with a serious face, and Leo answered nonchalantly.
“That's a trade secret.”
At his words, Eliza narrowed her eyes and glanced over at Karl.
Karl shrugged and shook his head.
*So Karl Thomas didn't know either. Still, the Essence of Lightning...*
It was hard to believe.
But Eliza knew, at the very least, that Leo wasn't someone who would lie about something like this.
Besides, there was the case of Seirun's Lunia, who had revived the power of the Phoenix King after 5,000 years as a reward for clearing a Hero Record.
*There's no reason Leo Flove couldn't do the same.*
“You really don't have any limits, do you.”
As Eliza let out a dry laugh, Leo spoke.
“Not really. That's why I need strong allies.”
Leo spoke calmly, looking down at his own hand.
“If it's the same case as Lunia El Lundua, why are you hiding it?”
“To be precise, it's different from Lunia's case.”
“How is it different?”
“In Lunia's case, she overcame the trial given by the Phoenix King and obtained its flame. She's not a Phoenix, but you could call her the successor to the Phoenix King.”
That is why Lunia's flame is the embodiment of the Flame Emperor.
It's a power she could obtain because she is the heir to a family that has passed down the purifying flames that burn away impurities for generations.
“In contrast, mine is literally a clear reward.”
At first glance, it might not seem like a big difference, but the reality is different.
In Lunia's case, it's the flame of the Phoenix King itself.
She can emit the Phoenix King's flame with just her own pure spiritual power.
In addition, she can strengthen the power of her contracted Phoenix and further imbue her magic with that power to maximize its effect.
Unlike her, for Leo to properly draw out the power of the Essence of Lightning, he needs a Pegasus.
*Besides, it's a power that causes considerable pain to the Pegasus I've formed a pact with.*
This is the limitation of someone who obtained the power through the loophole of the Hero Record, rather than being a legitimate user.
“Crucially, Lunia can pass that power on to someone else whenever she wants, but I can't.”
“Hmm, so? It certainly seems like your offer to help me is related to that Essence of Lightning.”
“That's right. Even if I can't wield it perfectly, I can accelerate your growth.”
“In other words, you can forcibly awaken my potential?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph. So that's why you asked if I was ready to die.”
Eliza's lips curled into a smirk.
She understood Leo's intention perfectly.
*A shortcut.*
Not all shortcuts are good.
*There's no such thing as a safe shortcut.*
Eliza is a summoner.
And unlike Aura and magic, the essence of a summoner is the 'contract.'
That's why she knew well.
That balance exists in this world.
Go faster, and there's a price to pay.
And in the case of forcibly awakening talent, the price of failure is brutal.
*At worst, you become a cripple, and in the absolute worst case, you die.*
It's a given that forced awakening comes with risks.
Forcibly awakening power is inherently an unorthodox method; there's no way it could be safe.
*If such a thing existed, it would be a true scam.*
Eliza looked down at her own hands.
*Is it right to accept help from Leo Flove?*
From Eliza's perspective, it was a disgrace.
An act that would crack her pride.
But...
*I also hate being left behind alone.*
As Leo said, time might solve everything.
But when she overcame her wall, what about the others?
Perhaps they would hit a wall like her and be caught up to.
But conversely, they could leap over the wall... or even break it and surge far ahead.
*I hate that more than death.*
Eliza's eyes flashed.
*I am the heir of the Hergin family.*
Celia, Duran, Chen Xia, Chloe, Abad, Chelsea, and Woreden flashed through her mind.
Finally, she looked at the face of the man before her, Leo.
*If I'm not the best, it's meaningless.*
It wasn't the childish stubbornness of a teenage girl.
*I have to stand on the greatest stage. Both as a summoner and as a hero.*
That was the life goal of the hero candidate, Eliza Hergin.
Before her was someone she might never reach, even if she chased them her entire life.
It was, quite literally, a wall like a great despair.
But in another sense, it meant she had a goal she could keep running toward for her entire life.
*I don't have time to hesitate here. Even at this very moment, this man is pulling further away.*
To stand still just because the path forward is dangerous, when there's a way not to wander...
That was a greater humiliation than receiving help.
“What do I have to do?”
At her words, Leo held out his hand.
*Crackle-!*
The Essence of Lightning manifested.
“Take it.”
At his word, Eliza took a deep breath and grabbed Leo's hand.
“Ugh?!”
And in that instant.
Eliza's body went rigid as if electrocuted, then her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
In her fading consciousness, she heard Karl's urgent voice.
As she lost consciousness, Eliza muttered to herself inwardly.
*This... isn't going to be easy.*
***
“Isn't that too dangerous?”
Karl took the unconscious Eliza back to the dormitory.
As Leo sat alone on a bench, Chen Xia appeared from behind him and asked with a slightly worried expression.
“It is dangerous.”
Leo said nonchalantly.
“You're not planning to moderate the training intensity or anything, are you?”
“No. If I did that, Eliza would take it as a humiliation.”
Leo asked Chen Xia, who sat down beside him.
“Imagine you were in Eliza's situation. Would you feel good if I went easy on you during training?”
“...No. I'd probably get angry, actually.”
“See? You kids are all dying to act like adults.”
“Now you're openly acting like an old man? And it's not acting like adults, it's being mature. Don't treat me like a child.”
As Chen Xia came closer to Leo and gave him a reproachful look with narrowed eyes, Leo said bluntly.
“An adult doesn't get angry even if their feelings are hurt by consideration. Kiddo.”
Leo pinched Chen Xia's nose with his fingers.
Pinching her nose, Chen Xia pouted and said.
“It's late. Aren't you going in?”
“My mind is troubled. I want to feel the night breeze a bit longer.”
Chen Xia gave a bitter smile.
*He must be lonely and struggling because Lady Luna left.*
It was only natural.
He had reunited with a friend with whom he'd risked his life to save the world, transcending 5,000 years, only to part ways again.
Moreover, Luna had special feelings for Leo.
*I can't be sure about Young Master Leo's feelings, though.*
Leo, too, surely held complex feelings for Luna.
*Young Master Leo must be having a hard time. Should I offer some words of comfort?*
He might be the Great Hero, but Leo was still human.
When his heart was heavy, he was bound to show a vulnerable side.
*How should I comfort him?*
“Because of Luna, I think I might have to ask you for a slightly difficult favor.”
*A slightly difficult favor because of Lady Luna?*
Chen Xia's eyes darted sideways.
*'Miss Eiran, this book called 'When the Heart is Lonely, the Body Grows Lonely Too'... no matter how I look at it, this is banned from Lumerne.'*
*'H-h-h-h-how did you find that!'*
*'And this book here, 'History is Made at Night,' is the same.'*
*'Kyaaaaaaah!'*
Recalling the books she had found when visiting Eiran's dorm room, Chen Xia subtly lifted her hips and moved closer to Leo.
“Young Master Leo, I'm an adult. It's okay to ask me for a difficult favor. No, I will follow any command from you, Young Master Leo.”
“Really? I want to borrow the power of the Shan Empire.”
At his words, Chen Xia, who had been blinking her large eyes, smiled brightly.
“...A job for me as a shadow, I see.”
“That's right.”
*This is bad. I think I've been influenced by Miss Eiran too much. My mind feels a little strange.*
Chen Xia licked her lips and sighed.
“It seems Berkias has been resurrected as an undead.”
But her face hardened at Leo's next words.
“Ber... kias?”
“Yes.”
Leo continued with a grim expression.
“It seems he's operating in the shadows. If he was resurrected as an undead... he's probably not up to any good. So, can you find a trace of him?”
“Yes. Understood.”
After answering, Chen Xia immediately disappeared into the darkness.
Sitting on the bench, Leo looked up at the full moon and took a deep breath.