“Did you encounter the King of Wisdom?”
“That’s incredible! It’s a significant event! Is it related to Lord Risinas’s Hero Record?”
The entire grade descended into chaos due to the incident at the Hero Academy.
All the professors at the academy were summoned, and regular classes were replaced with self-directed study.
This incident was a grave matter.
There are not many remaining records of the great heroes who were initially recorded in the Hero Record.
In such a situation, a new fragment of the page featuring Risinas in the Hero Record was unearthed.
It was no surprise that there was an uproar in Lumeren.
While other students were expressing noisy reactions, Leo found himself lost in contemplation.
‘Why is my Hero Record particularly disorganized?’
The world of heroes was presumably created because Leo, who could be considered the world’s creator, touched the Hero Record.
However, it differed significantly from the entrance exam.
“Normally, a message appears indicating whose world it is upon entering the world of heroes. But in this instance…”
[Hero Record Open. World of ■■. Chapter: ■■-■■■]
It was impossible to determine whose world it belonged to.
‘Even when Risinas called my name, I couldn’t hear it.’
It was as though someone intentionally erased Kyle’s name.
‘There must be a specific reason for the absence of my Hero Record.’
Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘Didn’t they mention that the Hero Record was originally one?’
The Hero Record, now divided into five parts, had originally been a single, complete record.
However, long ago, due to some incident, it was divided into five parts.
During the process, multiple pages were lost and scattered across the world.
‘What if someone intentionally destroyed the Hero Record?’
The Hero Record is an artifact that carries the power of heroes.
It quite literally possesses the ability to nurture heroes.
‘If someone doesn’t want a new hero to emerge…’
Upon arriving at this thought, Leo felt a shiver run down his spine.
‘Erebos.’
“Leo?”
Chelsea’s voice brought Leo back to reality.
“Why do you appear so frightened?”
“It’s nothing.”
‘I must investigate why the Hero Record was divided.’
***
A month had passed since the incident at the Hero Academy.
The initial buzz surrounding the incident had subsided.
The Hero Record involving Risinas had undeniably stirred up quite a commotion.
However, there was little the first-year students could do in this regard.
Many students had sought answers from the professors regarding Risinas, but they received no response.
Moreover, with midterm exams on the horizon, the Hero Academy incident naturally began to fade from the minds of the first-year students.
Professor Ren’s Magic Theory class.
“As you are all aware, midterm exams are approaching rapidly.”
The students appeared tense.
This was the first mention of midterms by Professor Ren.
They could sense it intuitively.
“He’s referring to the practical exam.”
Lumeren’s exams included both written and practical assessments.
Particularly, the practical skills held significant weightage in all the major subjects.
Naturally, the students were eager for the practical exams.
Professor Ren stood before the blackboard, holding a piece of chalk.
The sound of the chalk echoed throughout the classroom.
Subsequently, the students began to murmur.
“Original magic, or in simpler terms, unique magic. This will be your assignment for the midterm practical exam.”
Professor Ren placed the chalk back in the holder and walked to the center of the stage.
“Original magic is a direct reflection of the mage’s personality. In today’s age, where standardized activation formulas have become the norm, mages often shy away from pursuing originality due to its perceived inefficiency.”
Glancing at the students, Professor Ren gave a sly smile.
“However, I believe that unique magic is indispensable for mages. Spells that deviate from standardized formulas can be difficult to counter. They might even serve as secret weapons in emergency situations.”
At his words, the students’ eyes gleamed.
A secret weapon.
This phrase alone was enough to ignite the enthusiasm of these young mages.
“Shall we discuss historically famous instances of unique magic? Is there any student who would like to share knowledge of a unique magic they are aware of?”
In response to the question, several students raised their hands.
“Student Chelsea.”
“Roubert Lewalin’s magic.”
“Correct. Indeed, the founder of the Lewalin family possessed remarkably powerful unique magic.”
Chelsea sat down with a proud smile.
One by one, students began to present their findings.
Usually, Professor Ren would entertain only a few responses and then move on, but today he seemed to be listening to an unusually high number of answers.
It was almost as if he was waiting for a specific response.
The students sensed this and began to actively participate.
Then, Leo raised his hand.
“Student Leo! Let’s hear your answer!”
Ren’s tone carried a slight hint of excitement.
While Ren had shown a keen interest in Leo before, Leo rarely answered the professor’s questions.
Leo stood up and declared,
“Star Magic.”
Upon hearing this, the students wore puzzled expressions.
Star Magic.
This referred to a unique magical system used by elves.
Undoubtedly, it was potent magic.
However, any elf could learn Star Magic.
It was challenging to label such magic as truly unique.
Yet Chloe, Abad, and Chelsea hesitated upon hearing Leo’s response.
Ren let out a hearty snort.
“That’s the correct answer! That’s precisely the response I was seeking!”
He applauded enthusiastically as he explained further.
“Star Magic is a magical system that any elf can master! However, it has been adapted for all elves to learn!”
Ren raised his voice.
“You are all familiar with the power of Star Magic!”
Star Magic.
This magical system was specifically tailored for elves based on their mana tendencies.
That’s why it proved challenging for other races to wield Star Magic.
It belonged to the realm of sensitivity and innate talent.
Leo, wielding elf magic, had completely shaken up the Magic Department.
“However,” Ren declared solemnly, clenching his fist, “the Star Magic that elves currently use is but a pale imitation of the original magic crafted by Luna, the Celestial Ancestor. Throughout history, only one individual ever truly harnessed genuine Star Magic!”
‘Actually, it’s two people,’ Leo thought with a faint grin.
“It’s Luna, the creator of Star Magic.”
The magic department students tightened their fists in response.
“Now, do you grasp why the pursuit of original magic is crucial?”
For aspiring hero mages, Luna was an icon of admiration.
The revelation that Luna’s foundational magic was an original concept paradoxically underscored the importance of original magic to the students.
Ding dong dang—
The bell chimed, marking the end of the class.
‘Let’s conclude today’s lecture here.’
Students began to gather their belongings.
Engrossed in conversations about unique magic with their peers, they left the classroom.
“Original magic, huh? It’s truly a daunting endeavor.”
Karl scratched his head.
Unique magic dwelled in the realm of creation.
Crafting new magic was challenging enough, let alone making it entirely unique.
“Leo, you have three practical exams in each department, right? Preparing for all of them must be quite taxing.”
Karl spoke empathetically while regarding Leo.
Leo responded with a smile.
“I’ll give it my all.”
‘In my previous life, I developed numerous unique magics.’
Leo had created many unique magics in his past existence.
This exam was a highly appreciated practical challenge for Leo.
As Leo was about to exit the classroom with Karl, a voice called out to him from behind.
Turning around, he saw Chloe, holding a magic book.
Initially, Leo, Karl, and Chloe had attended magic class together.
However, for the past month, Chloe had been sitting separately from the two.
It wasn’t because they had a falling out or were on bad terms.
They still chatted and hung out after class.
But during class, they chose separate seats.
“Would you like to have lunch together?”
Leo inquired with a smile, and Chloe took a deep breath before approaching him.
For a moment, Leo was captivated by the black grimoire Chloe held.
‘This isn’t a textbook, is it? Could it be a personal grimoire she’s reading?’
“Leo, I am determined to surpass you in this practical exam.”
Kyle was taken aback by Chloe’s resolute statement.
“Hey, hey! Aren’t friends beyond winning and losing? Besides, you’re the class’s top wizard…”
“No.”
Chloe gripped her grimoire tightly.
“Leo outshines me in magical formulas. That’s an undeniable fact.”
She spoke with a clouded expression in her eyes.
“I have to excel in magical formulas. So I cannot afford to lose.”
Chloe gazed directly at Leo, her teeth clenched.
“Therefore, I will defeat Leo in this exam. Promise me that you’ll give your all as a wizard. I won’t tolerate neglecting magic to focus on other subjects.”
“Of course, I will.”
“Hey, Leo!”
“Don’t worry, Kyle. We’re not at odds.”
Leo wore a determined expression.
“It would be disrespectful to Chloe if I avoid this after she’s gone to such lengths.”
“Thanks, Leo. I’ll head out first.”
Chloe left with a smile.
Karl licked his lips, watching her departure.
“Youth, it’s all about youth.”
***
As the midterm exams drew near, the details of the first-year practical exams were gradually revealed.
The Knight department featured a duel test.
Duels would take place within the Knight department during the midterm period.
Naturally, rankings would be determined by the points earned.
Hence, this subject had the earliest practical exam date.
On the day of the midterm exam, the top eight students would be selected to participate in a tournament-style duel.
In the Summoning class, there were two practical exams.
One involved a race on flying familiars, and the other tested the ability to manipulate spirits skillfully.
For the Magic department, there would be presentations with external judges evaluating original magic development.
Cramming was discouraged.
This exam aimed to assess how diligently students had worked throughout the semester.
Lastly, there were combined exams for Combat Studies and Hero Studies.
“As expected,” Karl remarked with a somewhat anticipated expression.
“The objective of the practical exams for Hero Studies and Combat Studies is to conquer the world of heroes.”
Karl pointed at the notice board in front of the classroom.
“The exam will randomly assign teams for conquering the world of heroes. It’s quite tricky!”
Effective teamwork was crucial when facing the challenges of the world of heroes.
If team members were predetermined, efficiency naturally improved.
But in cases where team composition was unknown, one had to prepare for various scenarios.
This exam assessed the overall capabilities of a hero cadet.
“I guess Karl can’t afford to slack off~”
“Hey! Who said I was going to slack off!”
“That’s right. Karl won’t slack off, he’ll just be a burden!”
“Chelsea, Youuu!”
As Iliana and Chelsea laughed and scampered away, Karl grabbed his head.
“Karl, this test might actually play to your advantage.”
“What do you mean?”
“You aspire to be a supporter, right?”
Karl’s eyes widened.
“In whichever team you find yourself, your role is likely well-defined, correct?”
“Yeah, I can thoroughly prepare to support any team!”
The difference in combat effectiveness with or without a supporter was significant.
Instead of pretending to be a mage, Karl could create greater synergy by thoroughly training as a supporter.
“Thank you, Leo! I can see a clear path because of you!”
“I really hope I don’t end up with Karl’s support.”
“I share the concern.”
“Tade! Nella! You too?”
Karl yelled, clutching his head, as his friends playfully expressed their doubts.
Cliche Novel 