Chapter 082
Chapter Title: Brave Hero's Breath
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Aura.
A word used to describe the power released when mana accumulated in the body is combusted.
Its most basic application is physical enhancement.
And once one becomes proficient in handling aura, it's possible to imbue it into weapons, increasing their strength and making them sharper.
Upon reaching that stage, one can imbue it with attributes according to their individual nature.
A prime example was Celia's flame.
As all the students focused on Ain's lesson, Leo thought to himself.
*'Brave Hero's Breath, huh? What a grand-sounding name. Ar-on just called it breathing.'*
Then again, considering Ar-on's status in later generations, it wasn't strange for it to have such a name.
Ar-on, the Brave Hero.
The bravest and greatest warrior in history, who made the impossible possible.
*'…Or so he's known.'*
Leo let out a dry laugh.
Later generations highlighted Ar-on's immense courage, but in truth, Ar-on was a very timid beastman.
*'So timid he was a massive coward.'*
His physique was also small compared to other beastmen, so seeing him terrified made one wonder if he was truly the Brave Hero.
*'But in the end, he was the bravest in battle.'*
The sight of Ar-on overcoming his fear to bravely face his enemies was the driving force that made the impossible possible time and again.
*'The biggest coward of them all always took the greatest risks, vowing to protect us.'*
Recalling Ar-on, Leo smiled.
*'Brave Hero's Breath… a fitting name.'*
While Leo was lost in memories of his past life.
Ain was explaining the principles of the new technique to the students.
At the mention of an aura amplification effect, all the students were concentrating intently.
"The Brave Hero's Breath I'm teaching you is different from the original. After all, the technique itself is exclusive to beastmen. If humans use it as is, it's difficult to achieve the proper effect."
Professor Ain had brought a small blackboard to the training ground and was lecturing.
With a diagram of the human body drawn on it, Ain explained in detail how to breathe and how to circulate aura in sync with that breath.
Seeing this, Leo narrowed his eyes.
*'It's fundamentally different from Ar-on's breathing.'*
It wasn't strange for it to be different.
In his past life, Ar-on had tried to pass on his breathing technique to other beastmen.
But not a single one managed to master it properly.
Instead, the one who mastered Ar-on's breathing was Leo, a human, not a beastman.
"The technique itself isn't difficult. However..."
Ain raised his hand.
*Crack-!*
A frigid aura condensed in Ain's hand.
Despite the small amount of aura, a powerful force emanated from it.
"Just because you learn it doesn't mean you can aim for a powerful amplification effect right away. As you know, training is the most important thing for aura skills. The same goes for the Brave Hero's Breath."
Seeing that, Leo's eyes gleamed.
*'It's not just about unleashing power beyond one's limits; it can also maximize aura efficiency, can't it?'*
The breathing Leo learned from Ar-on was a power that drew out strength beyond one's limits.
The effect of increasing aura output efficiency was the same, but the current Brave Hero's Breath had a key difference: it could amplify aura even without drawing out its maximum potential.
*'It seems they've developed it through endless research in aura studies.'*
As Leo marveled, a question surfaced on his face.
*'If it has advanced this much, why do beastmen still only undergo beastification during a full moon?'*
Beastification is a racial trait of beastmen.
On the day of the full moon, the beastly blood flowing within a beastman's body awakens.
When they undergo beastification, beastmen gain far greater power than usual.
Ar-on was the only beastman who could undergo beastification whenever he wished, even without a full moon.
*'If Ar-on's breathing was passed down as the Brave Hero's Breath, there should be no reason for that, right? And one more thing…'*
Leo looked at Ain.
*'Why doesn't Professor Ain have any side effects?'*
While Leo was pondering.
"Begin practicing now. If you can manifest your aura with the Brave Hero's Breath, you've succeeded."
As soon as Ain finished speaking, the students began to focus on their breathing practice.
"Huuup! Keuk?"
"Th-this is pretty hard with just breathing, isn't it?"
Flustered voices came from the students practicing as Ain had taught them.
It was only natural.
*'Because the most important part of this technique is the breathing.'*
The principle by which Brave Hero's Breath could momentarily increase aura output was extremely simple.
The principle of using aura is similar to a flame burning.
*'The most necessary thing for a flame to burn is oxygen. Conversely, to combust the aura dormant within the body, mana from the atmosphere is needed.'*
The basic principle of Brave Hero's Breath is to increase the explosive power of aura by taking in more mana from the atmosphere.
In simple terms, it was about increasing the compression ratio of the mana taken in while breathing.
As such, it was impossible to manifest with normal breathing.
Leo attempted to breathe as Ain had taught him.
Since he was already using Ar-on's breathing, he could easily follow the Brave Hero's Breath, even in its modified form.
*'Now, to circulate the mana.'*
Leo's aura stirred.
*'Now I just have to manifest it...'*
The moment he tried to manifest the aura at his fingertips, it dissipated.
Leo looked bewildered.
*'What?'*
He tried the Brave Hero's Breath several times.
But he couldn't use his aura with the method Ain had taught.
*'What is it? Is my method wrong?'*
It was a rare moment for Leo to be stuck in class.
*Fwoosh-!*
*Shwaaa-!*
*Crackle-!*
Aura manifested from three directions simultaneously.
"Hmm, so this is what it feels like."
"I succeeded, but the aura amplification effect is really minimal."
"It's not that difficult."
Exclamations of admiration erupted from all around.
"They did that in one try?"
"As expected of the Knight Department's monsters...!"
"Hey! I told you not to call me a monster! Who said that!"
Celia flared up.
Watching this, the corners of Ain's mouth curled up.
*'Celia, Chen Xia, Duran… In terms of talent alone, they're on a whole other level.'*
Talents rarely seen in an entire grade were all present in this one year.
*'This year's first-years are a blessed generation.'*
Thinking this, Ain glanced at Leo.
*'On the other hand, Leo is surprisingly struggling.'*
For Ain, it was unexpected to see Leo, who always had a high understanding of the lessons, unable to even manifest it.
*'I suppose it can't be helped. While the other students are solely focused on their training, Leo is juggling magic and summoning as well.'*
Ain couldn't help but feel it was a shame that Leo, whose talent he considered comparable to or even greater than Celia, Chen Xia, and Duran's, was dividing his attention among other departments.
After an hour, the majority of students had succeeded in manifesting their aura with the Brave Hero's Breath.
*Ding dong dang dong-*
When the class bell rang, Ain crossed his arms.
"We will proceed with the next lesson after a break. We'll be testing various aura amplification effects using the Brave Hero's Breath. We will be recording your results, so everyone get plenty of rest."
The students gathered in their own groups to rest.
While Leo was drinking water at the sink, Celia approached him.
"So you're human after all. Seeing you struggle in class."
Leo was the only student who hadn't managed to manifest his aura with the Brave Hero's Breath.
"Young Master Leo, shall I teach you the trick to it?"
Leo shook his head at Chen Xia's question.
"No. I'll practice a bit more on my own."
Leo smiled and shook his head.
Watching from a distance, Duran spoke with his characteristic arrogant expression.
"That Leo Flove. To think he can't even manage something this simple. How disappointing."
"Um, Duran? This is definitely not simple."
"Could you maybe consider our feelings when you say that? It hurts. *Sob sob*."
A female student from the Knight Department clutched her chest with a sad expression.
"Cut the pathetic act."
"Tch."
They were mostly students from the central region who followed Duran.
"Leo Flove is taking classes in three departments, right? There's bound to be a limit. By the second semester, his Knight Department grades won't even compare to yours."
As a male student said this in a carefree tone, Duran narrowed his eyes.
"I don't care about that."
"Huh?"
"Whether his Knight Department grades are worse than mine or not, I won't be satisfied until I defeat him."
Duran gritted his teeth.
"I will defeat him and become the year representative. That's my only goal."
The other students flinched at the murderous aura Duran was emitting.
Meanwhile, Leo remained deep in thought throughout the break.
Once again, he circulated his aura as Ain had taught.
But as before, the aura dissipated just before manifesting.
*'Hmm… Right, that was it. This doesn't suit me.'*
Professor Ain said he had modified the Brave Hero's Breath, originally usable only by beastmen, so that humans could use it.
However, Leo had already mastered Ar-on's breathing.
*'In the end, mine is the original. My aura is attuned to my way.'*
It was, quite literally, a fundamental problem.
*'So it's a technique that's incompatible with me from the start.'*
Having found the cause, Leo's eyes gleamed.
*'In that case, I'll have to try incorporating only the necessary parts of what Professor Ain taught me into my own breathing.'*
In any case, the breathing Ain taught was optimized for humans.
The newly reborn Brave Hero's Breath was appealing even to Leo.
*'Gaining the power to maximize aura circulation efficiency is appealing to me, too. Besides, I might even be able to overcome the side effects.'*
The side effects Leo suffered from.
It was the backlash from aura amplification.
Kyle and Ar-on had used the same breathing technique, but there was a crucial difference between the two.
*'A fundamental difference… race.'*
Leo looked down at his hand.
Unlike Ar-on, whose vessel was also strengthened through beastification when he exerted power beyond his limits, Leo was human.
He had to bear the full backlash of drawing out power beyond his limits with his body.
The burns he'd received when using the Jerdinger's aura until now were also for that reason.
"We will now begin the measurements. Students whose names are called, come forward."
The measurements began while Leo was lost in his own world.
There were three types of measurements in total.
Attack, speed, defense, and evasion.
*Crackle-!*
"He's fast!"
"He lost to that Leo kid in the aura step duel at the beginning of the semester... but now, I don't think there's anyone in our year faster than Duran."
After receiving the highest score in speed, Duran scoffed and looked toward Leo.
In the Knight Department, the fastest was Duran.
Next were Celia and Leo, whose speeds were about equal.
But unlike usual, Celia took second place thanks to the Brave Hero's Breath.
Next were defense and evasion.
In this category, it was practically a one-woman show for the water-attribute user, Chen Xia.
And the fight for second place in defense and evasion was between Leo and Duran.
"Duran won!"
"Ahh. As expected, the gap is finally widening."
"True. It was strange that it hadn't happened until now. Isn't this how it should be?"
The Knight Department students murmured amongst themselves.
"That Leo kid. What is he doing?"
Seeing Leo completely unable to keep up with the lesson, Celia was also slightly taken aback.
While the students of Class 5 watched Leo with worried eyes.
"Last, the attack power measurement."
One by one, their maximum attack power was measured.
*KABOOM-! FWOOOOOSH!*
On Celia's turn, a massive storm of flames raged.
"It's definitely stronger than before, right?"
"It must be the effect of the Brave Hero's Breath."
The students were astounded.
It wasn't a drastic change, but Celia's flames were certainly stronger than before.
Sheathing her sword, Celia looked at Leo, who was last.
In terms of attack power, Celia was the undisputed number one.
And number two was Leo.
*'This is what happens when you neglect your Knight Department classes.'*
As Celia grumbled at her cousin's poor performance.
Before long, it was Leo's turn.
Seeing this, Ain casually glanced down at the measuring device.
*'Leo Flove. Perhaps this will be a turning point in your school life.'*
Leo still ranked among the top in all measurements.
But in today's measurement, he fell behind his competitors.
To be precise, he was the only one who hadn't improved.
*'No matter how much of a genius he is, there's a limit to juggling three departments.'*
Ain gazed at Leo's back.
*'It's time to choose.'*
Just as Ain was watching Leo intently.
*'Phew-! Done.'*
Leo, who had been adjusting the technique throughout the class, had just barely finished.
*'I've optimized it for myself for now.'*
He could now manifest his aura more naturally than before.
Leo took a deep breath.
*'Shall I give it a try?'*
*Fwoosh-!*
Imbuing his sword with the maximum amount of aura, Leo took a deep breath.
The mana in the atmosphere compressed and was sucked into Leo's body.
*'Swing the sword!'*
*Vwoom-!*
Leo swung his sword as he breathed.
The mana that entered his body was strongly compressed.
*'Uh, wait. Why is this so effective?'*
Leo was taken aback.
A much stronger aura amplification effect than usual was generated.
*'Wait! If this keeps up, the backlash will be even...!'*
*FWOOSH-! KABOOOOOM-!*
A wall of fire soared high into the air.
Everyone's jaws dropped at the firepower that far surpassed Celia's.
*Thud-!*
Ain unknowingly dropped his pen.
*'What in the world… is that kid.'*
He felt goosebumps all over his body.
*'How am I supposed to describe this?'*
There was only one question in his mind.
What was the right word to describe the student before him?
He had long since surpassed the realm of what could simply be called a genius.
*'Yes. This is… like a monster.'*