Leo and Duran positioned themselves at the center, with the students dividing into two groups on each side. The atmosphere was electric as they awaited the title match between the freshman representative and the valedictorian student.
“Who do you think will emerge victorious?”
“I’m placing my bet on Duran!”
“Indeed, he had quite a reputation even before joining the school, didn’t he?”
“But remember, he’s the freshman representative. Do you think he’ll demonstrate something extraordinary?”
“Come on, he didn’t even secure the top spot in the exams, and I heard he hasn’t fully mastered the Aura Step.”
Despite these doubts, all the first-year students were predicting Duran’s triumph.
Amidst this anticipation, Selia appeared visibly concerned and asked, “Are you going to be okay?”
“Don’t you have faith in me?”
“You’ve only recently learned the theory of the Aura Step.”
“Don’t worry; I’ll win.”
Duran gestured toward a large tree affixed to the far end of the training field wall. “The rules are simple. We’ll run around that tree, and the first one to return here wins.”
“Understood.”
Both competitors stretched before the race. Leo removed the bracelets from his wrists and ankles, recalling the Aura Step theory taught by Professor Ain.
As their preparations concluded, and they stood at the starting line, a student acting as the referee raised his hand. “Ready.”
Leo tensed his muscles in anticipation. “Go!”
They both burst off the ground and sprinted forward. Initially, Leo took the lead. Observing Leo’s back, Duran furrowed his brow. ‘He’s so fast.’
“Go, Leo!” Karl clenched his fist and cheered, while Chelsea hopped around with excitement. However, Selia continued to wear a worried expression.
‘Duran hasn’t used his Aura Step yet.’ Currently, they were both relying solely on their physical strength. Given Leo’s impressive physical prowess, acknowledged even by Selia, it was natural for him to be faster without utilizing the Aura Step.
However, this initial advantage was short-lived. Once Duran activated his aura, the gap between them rapidly closed.
Zap-!
Golden sparks enveloped Duran’s legs. It was the lightning aura. “I’ll take the lead, slowpoke,” Duran taunted as he surged ahead.
Running at an astonishing speed, Duran circled the designated point much faster than Leo. To any observer, it seemed like Leo’s defeat was imminent.
But then, Leo suddenly accelerated explosively toward the training field wall.
“Aura Step? Didn’t they say the representative couldn’t use the Aura Step?”
“Did he deceive us?”
The students buzzed with astonishment, and Selia’s eyes widened. ‘No way, how can he learn that quickly!?’
As she silently screamed, despite nearing the training field wall, Leo displayed no signs of slowing down.
Whooooosh-!
“Wait, can’t he stop?”
“He’s going to crash!”
As Leo sped towards the wall at an alarming pace, the students couldn’t contain their screams.
Boom-!
In that critical moment, Leo concentrated his power in his legs and leaped. Using the wall as a launching pad, he glanced back at Duran’s retreating figure.
Crack-!
The force of his jump was so intense that it left a noticeable crack in the wall, and Leo continued his pursuit of Duran.
The students watched in awe.
Even Duran, who had looked back, had a tense expression on his face.
Leo raced after him like a bullet.
‘What’s with this guy?’
Caught off guard by the unexpected chase, Duran quickly regained his composure.
‘He lost some momentum when he landed.’
Duran wasn’t worried about being caught since he maintained his speed. However, Leo kicked off the ground once more and gave chase.
With the Aura Step activated, their speed was now incomparably faster than before, but the gap between Leo and Duran didn’t close.
They were now halfway to the starting line.
“Go, Leo!”
“Run, Duran!”
The students were divided in their cheers, loudly supporting their favorites. Selia bit her lip slightly.
‘No, he can’t catch up.’
Leo knew that too.
Whoosh-!
Suddenly, flames erupted from Leo’s feet.
‘The technique Professor Ain used when walking on thin air.’
Leo recalled the demonstration he had seen from Professor Ain. Attempting to replicate it now was a stretch, considering he was just a beginner in the Aura Step. Nevertheless, he could use it as a reference.
Activating his Phoenix Breath, Leo focused his aura on his feet.
Whoosh-!
And then…
‘Push off the ground!’
Boom-! Bang!
The students were taken aback by the unexpected explosions. Selia’s mouth fell open.
‘Phoenix Step? Hasn’t Leo not mastered it yet?’
Bang-! Bang-!
A series of small explosions followed, propelling Leo to an incredible speed.
Expending all the little aura he had, Leo closed the gap right behind Duran.
“Tsk? This kid!”
“I’m ahead now, slowpoke.”
Leo wore a wicked grin and forcefully pushed off the ground.
Bang-!
“Leo Plov!”
Duran shouted with wide eyes as he tried to keep up with Leo. Although the distance between them wasn’t widening, Duran couldn’t match Leo’s increasing momentum.
The air was filled with Leo’s aura flames and Duran’s lightning aura as they raced. In a nail-biting finish, Leo crossed the starting line first.
“Whoa!”
“Incredible! He’s unbelievably fast!”
The students couldn’t contain their amazement.
“Huff-! Huff-!”
Duran, catching his breath, shot a glare at Leo. Leo, equally exhausted, had his hand on his knee, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.
“Wow, that was something! Wasn’t Duran supposed to be the fastest in our grade? And you beat him?” Karl exclaimed, and then Selia chimed in.
“If it were a longer distance, he might have lost.”
“Huh?”
“Selia’s right. Duran has a much larger aura capacity.”
Leo nodded, concurring with Selia’s observation.
“But I still won, right? I told you I’d win.”
“Ugh, fine. You’re impressive.”
Selia shook her head, seeing Leo revel in his victory.
“Leo, here’s some water!”
“Thanks.”
Chelsea handed Leo a water bottle, and he responded with a warm smile.
“Even as a guy, I have to admit, he’s pretty cool. I bet he’s popular with the ladies. Is this what they mean by a gentleman?”
Karl admired Leo, and Chelsea shook her head.
“Not exactly a gentleman.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“He threatened to set my butt on fire during the entrance exam to get me to cooperate,” Chelsea replied with a wry expression.
Hearing this, Karl quipped, “A perverted gentleman.”
***
“Even as I observed yesterday, it’s evident why Professor Albi recommended him as the freshman representative,” Professor Ain remarked from the rooftop overlooking the misty field.
Associate Professor Claria, with a sigh, pointed out, “Isn’t it your responsibility as a professor to intervene in student disputes, Professor Ain?”
Ain chuckled in response. “It happens every year, doesn’t it?”
Lumeren Academy attracted elite students from diverse cultural backgrounds around the world, leading to varied backgrounds and occasional conflicts at the start of the academic year.
“Knowing about it and not intervening is the real issue, I believe.”
“This year’s freshmen show great potential to become heroes. That’s why they’re under the academy’s scrutiny. I felt it was necessary to identify the exceptional ones right from the beginning of the semester.”
While Lumeren’s professors upheld equality for all students, personal biases naturally led to favorites.
Ain, outwardly reserved but deeply passionate about his students, earned a lot of respect from his former pupils.
Yet, his lingering regret was that none of his disciples had achieved hero status.
“I’m determined to nurture a hero, Claria. You know how much that means to me, don’t you?”
With a sigh, Claria pulled out a notebook.
“So, what’s our plan?”
Even though it was an impromptu lesson, students organizing a duel without a professor’s consent violated academy rules.
“It wasn’t really a fight. We can let it slide.”
‘Professor Ain seems to have taken a particular liking to student Leo.’
Known for his strict adherence to academy regulations, Professor Ain chose to overlook the incident this time.
Claria chuckled while watching Leo interact with his peers.
***
After class, Leo sat in the student café.
By that time, the story of Leo and Duran had become the talk of the academy.
“You’ve become the talk of the town on your very first day!”
Karl gave Leo a thumbs-up, and Chelsea, sipping fruit juice through a straw, added, “Leo oppa’s* performance was undeniably impressive.”
“Hey, Chelsea Lewalin. Why do you call Leo ‘oppa’ but address me by my name?”
“It just feels right.”
Chelsea playfully stuck out her tongue.
“You!”
“If you don’t like it, you can call our dear Leo ‘oppa’ too!”
“Just call me by my name; it’s simpler.”
Karl decisively dropped the matter.
“Our next class is Summoning, right? Is anyone even going to attend?”
Karl checked his timetable and asked.
“I am,” Leo replied.
The trio gave Leo a collective ‘Why bother?’ look.
While knight classes allowed students to learn combat techniques and magic classes were popular for improving magic resistance, summoning classes were seen as pointless for those without innate talent.
Observing the trio’s reactions, Leo mused to himself as he sipped his drink through a straw, ‘I wonder how they’d react if I told them I’m taking all three major subjects.’
After bidding farewell to his three friends, he made his way to the lecture hall.
On the way, he contemplated the unusual reward he had received during the entrance examination.
In most cases, conquering a hero’s world didn’t yield any rewards.
‘But I received a reward.’
It was something out of the ordinary. Furthermore, he had a question related to this reward.
‘Why did I specifically receive a pact with the Fairy King?’
The rewards typically aligned with the power of the world’s owner.
‘Professor Albi is a pure mage.’
Normally, the abilities one gained should be related to magic. Yet, Leo had been granted the ability to summon.
The last known contractor of the Fairy King in history had been Luna. The pact with the Fairy King had been severed after the Age of Calamity, but now it had been bestowed upon Leo.
‘But forming a contract requires more than just a pact.’
To summon familiars, a catalyst related to the summon was needed. In the case of summoning fairies, it was the leaf of the World Tree.
However, all the World Trees had been eradicated during the Age of Calamity by Erebos.
To contract with a fairy now, one would need to journey to Fairy Land, where the fairies resided.
‘But Fairy Land is under the jurisdiction of the elves, and humans are forbidden. Even if I manage to go, there’s no guarantee of meeting the Fairy King.’
For the time being, the reward seemed rather useless.
“Are you also attending the summoning class?”
A voice came from behind him. Turning around with a puzzled expression, Leo spotted a female student standing there.
‘Let’s see… She’s definitely the Eastern Valedictorian, isn’t she?’
Trivia:
“Oppa” is a Korean term that is commonly used to address an older brother, older male friend, or a romantic partner who is older than the speaker. It is a term often used by females to refer to older males, and it signifies a close relationship or familiarity. In a romantic context, it can be used affectionately by a younger female to address her older male partner.
Cliche Novel 