Chapter 080
Chapter Title: Battle Royale
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Three professors were walking down the corridor of the Hero's Tower.
They were the first-year department heads: Professors Ain, Ren, and Yura.
The three professors, known throughout Lumerne for being strong-willed and doing things their own way, wore unusually tense expressions.
They had summoned all the first-years to make an announcement regarding the interdepartmental competition.
If it had been any other year, they wouldn't have been this nervous.
But this year's first-years were different.
Because there was someone who would shatter the balance of power between the departments, no matter which one he chose.
‘Leo Flove.’
The biggest variable in the competition—an unprecedented All-Class student whose abilities in every class were top-tier.
It was no exaggeration to say that the outcome of this year's competition hinged entirely on which department Leo chose.
However, all three professors were confident Leo would choose their department.
‘Leo Flove has deep ties to the Jerdinger family. He'll obviously choose the Knight Department.’
Ain, who had long since noticed the flame aura Leo used, was certain.
‘Student Leo possesses overwhelming magical talent. He even deciphered the magic left by the Nebula's Progenitor during the field trip. Naturally, the only place for him is the Magic Department.’
Ren, well aware of Leo's magical aptitude, had no doubt that he would choose the Magic Department.
‘The kid has a contract with a phoenix. Where else would he go?’
Yura looked at the other two professors as if their thoughts were absurd.
It was a rare moment when the three professors, famous for never agreeing on anything, were all on the same page.
But the moment they arrived at the auditorium, their faces twisted.
“Why is Student Leo sitting alone?”
“He's apparently being ostracized by the entire year.”
It was Torua who answered Ren's question.
“I assume you all heard the announcement? We've called you here today for the interdepartmental competition.”
At those words, the focus of the entire first-year class sharpened instantly.
“Before that, I'll explain why your upperclassmen are here. Jamua, you're first.”
At Ain's words, Jamua strode forward.
“Greetings, juniors! The name's Li Jamua!”
Li Jamua, having boomed out his introduction, grinned broadly.
“I know some of you are Dual-Class! But the moment you sat here, you became...”
An intimidating pressure emanated from Jamua's massive frame.
“Knights! Even those of you who are Dual-Class are sitting here because you've chosen Knight as your primary class!”
A few students nodded.
“A knight is one who overcomes all manner of hardships and crises with their own body! Self-training is the foundation of a knight! Anyone who neglects their training cannot be called a knight! Therefore, for the next month, I will be training with you all! I look forward to working with you!”
Hearing this, the Knight Department students began to murmur.
“We get to train with Senior Jamua? That's awesome!”
The Knight Department students reacted with excitement.
They couldn't help but be thrilled at the prospect of training for a month with one of their most respected upperclassmen.
After Jamua's introduction, Torua stepped forward.
“Hello, first-years. I'm Torua Yan. I hate lying, so I'll be blunt.”
Torua spoke with her characteristic deadpan expression, sticking her tongue out slightly.
“As mages, I think you're all pathetic.”
The students bristled at her sudden remark.
“I've read all the magic theses you submitted up to the midterm exam period. There was some interesting content, but most of it was just cookie-cutter material.”
A student raised their hand.
“You said you read all the theses we submitted. In that case, do you remember the one titled 'A Study on the Efficient Method of Converting Flame-Attribute Mana to Light-Attribute'?”
“Yeah. The one that was seventeen pages long, right? It was a common proposal about using thermal energy to increase output.”
“...”
The student fell silent at her immediate reply.
A few more questions followed, but Torua calmly and perfectly answered every one of them about the theses.
As the Magic Department students reeled in shock that she had grasped the content of so many papers, Torua spoke.
“Magic is a discipline that requires inquiry and creativity. You need a distinct individuality to grow, but that's difficult these days. All you have to do is inherit the powerful magic built up by the heroic mages of the past. But that alone has clear limits. Only by completely reinterpreting the work of those hero mages in your own way can you truly make it your own.”
Torua smiled faintly.
“For the next month, as your mentor, I will help expand your magical perspectives.”
“Does that mean we'll be able to learn magic from you, Senior Torua?”
“I don't teach. I just change your perspective.”
The Magic Department students showed a surprised reaction.
In any case, having witnessed Torua's abilities, the atmosphere had become quite charged.
After Torua, Ulta stepped forward.
“Juniors. What do you think is the most necessary ability for a summoner? You two in the front, care to share?”
At Ulta's question, Eliza lifted her chin.
“I believe it is the charisma to command summoned beasts.”
“Wrong.”
The prideful Eliza's eye twitched.
“I believe it is overwhelming power.”
Woreden said with a blank expression.
“Wrong.”
Shaking his head again and refuting both of them, Ulta spread his arms wide.
“The most necessary ability for a summoner... is love.”
“...”
“...”
Eliza and Woreden stared blankly, dumbfounded by the completely unexpected answer.
“A summoner must be able to embrace spirits and summoned beasts! Love is the emotion in which embrace is maximized! Ah! What a beautiful sentiment!”
Watching Ulta deliver a long speech about love with the exaggerated gestures of a stage actor, Torua commented.
“I always think this, but he's such an eccentric.”
“He makes you, the number two eccentric of our year, look normal.”
“Muscle brain.”
“Magic nerd.”
As Jamua and Torua childishly dissed each other, Yura stepped forward with a sigh.
“To translate what this guy is saying, it means you need to be able to accept the true nature of spirits and summoned beasts.”
“Ah~”
The Summoner Department students finally understood.
“Yes! Juniors! For the next month, I will teach you about love!”
Just as the Summoner Department students were making strange faces at Ulta's cry,
“Now, for a question.”
Professor Yura grinned, drawing the students' attention.
“Why are your upperclassmen helping with your classes as mentors for a month? I'll award points to the department that gets it right.”
The students began raising their hands for this sudden start to the interdepartmental competition.
“You, from the Magic Department.”
“For the interdepartmental competition!”
“Wrong. Next!”
“To improve the abilities of the underclassmen!”
“Incorrect!”
Countless answers poured out.
Among them were careful answers from the top students of each department, but none were correct.
Just as the students stopped raising their hands, Leo raised his.
“Leo. Go ahead.”
Most of the students didn't seem to expect much.
They felt that since almost every conceivable answer had been given, even Leo wouldn't be able to come up with anything different.
“It's because of the World of Heroes.”
The expressions in the eyes of the professors and the fifth-years changed.
“Be more specific.”
“The knight's training, the mage's inquiry and creativity, and the summoner's capacity for embrace, which the seniors emphasized. All three are the foundations of their respective classes.”
Leo began his explanation calmly.
“I understand that starting from the second semester, Lumerne students begin to seriously inherit the powers of past heroes through the Hero Record.”
Every first-year focused on Leo's words.
“I believe the seniors are assisting with our classes to pass on their know-how, so we aren't overwhelmed by those powers when we inherit them.”
“Correct.”
Yura nodded, smiling in satisfaction.
Watching this, Ren asked.
“Senior Ain, have you ever seen a first-year give such a perfect answer?”
“Never.”
Ain let out a dry laugh.
‘That's the answer of someone who truly understands the power of a hero.’
“It's just as Leo Flove said. These three are on the front lines of dungeon clearing. They've conquered a wide variety of Worlds of Heroes, and the rewards they've obtained are substantial.”
The students' eyes lit up.
Inheriting power through the Hero Record!
It was something most of them had long dreamed of.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this was the very reason they enrolled in Lumerne.
“The know-how to handle a hero's power is essential for you. For the next month, they will pass on their various techniques to you.”
Hearing this, the students' eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Professor. How will the interdepartmental competition be conducted?”
The event for the interdepartmental competition changed every year.
Sometimes it was a sports festival format, evaluating how students utilized their abilities in various events; other times it involved siege and defense battles, and occasionally, conquering a World of Heroes was the chosen event.
“It hasn't been decided yet. To be precise, we haven't been told anything either.”
As Ain answered with a sigh, the students looked bewildered.
Not just the first-years, but the fifth-years also looked surprised.
“It hasn't been decided yet?”
“A lack of love, I see.”
“Stop with the love nonsense, you pervert.”
Ulta looked regretful at Jamua's question, and Torua shot him down without mercy.
“The headmaster said he would announce it today. He should be here soon.”
No sooner had Ain finished speaking than the auditorium doors opened, and the headmaster, Kalian, appeared.
The first-years tensed up as they saw Kalian, who exuded a powerful presence belying his age.
“Greetings, first-year brats.”
Kalian said in a solemn voice from the stage.
Seeing him, the first-years swallowed nervously.
“The headmaster is always intimidating to see.”
At Karl's murmur, Chloe recalled her previous meeting with Kalian.
‘He seemed like a neighborhood grandpa back then.’
“I've been giving a lot of thought to selecting the event for your interdepartmental competition.”
With a faint smile, Kalian swept his gaze over the first-years.
His eyes finally landed on Leo, who was sitting all by himself.
Kalian gave Leo a meaningful look.
“To be honest, this year's first-year interdepartmental competition will be conducted a little differently from previous years. In a way, it might be more of an individual competition than a departmental one.”
The first-years began to murmur.
While the professors waiting in the back also looked flustered, Kalian slammed his hand on the podium.
“This year's event for the first-year interdepartmental competition is... a Battle Royale!”