“Lucky for me, being the first,” Leo remarked with a smirk.
The practical exam at the knight department was straightforward: achieve five wins through dueling. Success was guaranteed upon reaching five victories. However, grades also factored in the opponent’s skill and the duel’s specifics, so winning alone didn’t determine one’s grade. Nonetheless, winning quickly was essential.
Leo’s goal, naturally, was to remain undefeated.
“Feeling fortunate for being first? I guess I’m not on your radar!” Howl, Leo’s first opponent, quipped with a grin.
Howl Naif hailed from the heroic Naif family of the Tul Kingdom in the southern region of the continent. While not as renowned as Zerdingher, he still held the title of a heroic family member. He was particularly famed for his unpredictable spear technique, known as the Naif Spear. In fact, he ranked third among the Class 1 students in the knight department, trailing behind Selia and Duran.
Howl flicked his tongue and retrieved a spear from his spatial bracelet—a long spear, one and a half times the length of a regular one. Seeing this, Leo unsheathed his sword from his waist.
“As we discussed earlier, the one who incapacitates the opponent wins. Consider this a real battle,” Ain concluded the brief explanation and stepped back. There were no out-of-bounds judgments; the entire training ground served as the dueling arena.
Both combatants locked eyes, and Howl flicked his tongue.
“I’ve been meaning to settle the score since I lost to your Class 5 in combat class at the beginning of the semester.”
“Are you still holding onto that?” Leo retorted with a smirk.
“People of the Naif family never forget humiliation.”
“Was cleaning the bathroom that bad?”
“Damn it! Do you know how much the other classes made fun of us?” Howl clenched his fist. “I’ll make you pay for that humiliation, Leo Plov!”
Swoosh-!
Howl gripped his spear and assumed a preparatory stance reminiscent of a snake’s attack.
Observing Howl, Leo extended his sword.
“Leo, I’ve heard about your impressive performance during the entrance exam.” Howl grinned smugly. “But it seems you’re falling behind compared to other students right from the starting line! I heard you even failed to awaken your aura during the entrance exam! Let’s see if you can stop this attack!”
Whoosh-! Zing-!
Howl’s spear thrust directly towards Leo’s chest, displaying incredible speed. A typical spear thrust would be straightforward and predictable, making it easy to dodge with anticipation. However, the Naif Spear’s technique resembled that of a living snake at its tip, making it perilous to evade carelessly.
‘Once you dodge, you’ll be cornered!’
Most students would naturally falter after the first strike. But Leo was far from an ordinary student.
Thump-!
Howl’s eyes widened in astonishment.
Leo managed to grasp the spear shaft just before it made contact with him.
“Didn’t you hear about me from Selia, who’s in the same class?” Leo’s smile held a cold edge.
Whoosh-!
“Huh?”
Leo effortlessly lifted Howl into the air, along with his spear. Howl, who had prepared for an aura-based offense, was taken aback by Leo’s sheer physical strength.
Whoosh-! Bang-!
Leo forcefully brought Howl crashing down to the ground. However, Howl had the presence of mind to mitigate the impact using his aura armor just before landing.
With a grin, Howl steadied himself. “Of course, I’ve heard. I’m just a bit surprised that you’re stronger than I expected.”
Woong-!
The spear shaft emitted a green glow.
“But just because your power is strong doesn’t mean it solves your fundamental weakness!” Howl’s green eyes gleamed.
Leo promptly withdrew his hand from the encounter.
Chik-!
A small puff of smoke wafted from the ground where Howl stood.
‘Poison Aura? An intriguing ability,’ Leo mused with an amused expression. It was an aura trait that held a significant advantage in prolonged battles, explaining Howl’s self-assuredness. ‘But you’re not there yet.’
“I hear you talking about my weaknesses,” Leo chuckled. “Weaknesses exist to be overcome, don’t they?”
Whosh-!
Flames erupted from Leo’s body, pushing back Howl’s Poison Aura. Observing this, Howl snickered.
‘Sure, an aura with fire characteristics is a weakness for me! But unless you’re on Selia’s level, I can easily turn the tables!’
Whack-!
An even more potent poison surged from Howl’s body. In response, Leo amplified his firepower.
‘It’s useless! Unless you’re on Selia’s level!’
Roar-!
Flames and poison seemed to wage a fierce battle, growing more intense with each passing moment. As time elapsed, Howl’s expression grew increasingly strained.
‘Selia… not… on that level?’
At some point, Howl’s face turned pale, locking eyes with Leo’s fiery red gaze.
‘Impossible! Firepower on Selia’s level?’
Leo had already made a name for himself at the start of the semester, and he had never fully showcased his skills in any comprehensive battle evaluation. As a result, most had placed their bets on Howl’s victory in this test match, where overall abilities had significantly improved.
Yet, defying all expectations, Leo exerted immense pressure on Howl with his formidable Flame Aura.
Meanwhile, outside the duel, Selia, who had been observing with her arms crossed, looked genuinely surprised.
‘When did he…?’
Selia was one of the few who predicted Leo’s victory, but she had not anticipated that he could elevate his Flame Aura to this extent.
Duran, who was also spectating, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Howl seems to be outmatched.”
“Aren’t you jumping to conclusions? Howl hasn’t lost yet,” countered a student from Class 1 of the Knight Department, to which Duran scoffed.
“Are your eyes just for show? Howl’s already losing in both compatibility and strength. You think he stands a chance?”
“What about Howl’s Snake Spear? Aura compatibility doesn’t always determine the outcome.”
“Hmph! You believe Howl can outmatch Leo Plov with a technique?”
“He’s ranked fourth in our class.”
“Being fourth in our class doesn’t guarantee victory.”
Sparks erupted from Duran’s body.
“I’ll be the one to defeat him.”
“You? Doubtful.”
Selia smirked beside him.
“Taking sides with your friend, Selia Zerdingher.”
“I’m not taking sides. I’ll be the one to defeat Leo. You can’t even beat me.”
“Nonsense. Let me show you who’s superior right now.”
“Sure, I’ll take you on.”
Sparks flew as Duran and Selia, both fueled by their competitive spirit, displayed their strained relationship.
“Hey, hey, hey! What’s the point of fighting amongst ourselves? Shouldn’t we be cheering for Howl? Hey! Stop activating your auras!”
A Class 1 student attempted to calm them down, but they showed no intention of stopping.
“Both of you, if you fight now, a reflection paper won’t be sufficient.”
Chen Shia, wearing a smile, intervened at this point. Duran scoffed and moved away, while Selia gracefully brushed her hair back.
“Class 1 seems to be full of fighters.”
“It’s not about being combative. I just want to wipe the floor with that unfortunate kid.”
“Isn’t that combative?”
Professor Sedgen had prohibited duels among classmates, preventing Selia and Duran from settling their differences in combat.
“Speaking of which, Shia, you say that, but you also want to take on Leo.”
“Indeed, I do wish to face Leo. However, he’s not my sole target.”
“Then?”
“I also aim to challenge Selia and Duran. My goal is to defeat all three.”
“In the end, you’re the most competitive.”
Selia sighed while gazing at Chen Shia’s sparkling black eyes.
The surrounding students, who had been watching the psychological warfare among the top students of the knight department with tense expressions, breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared that nothing was about to escalate.
“Leo is quite popular.”
Nella spoke in her uniquely languid voice, to which Iliana, sitting next to her, shook her head.
“I’d rather not have that kind of popularity.”
***
“Downward strike!”
Leo unleashed a surge of fire, prompting Howl to quickly activate his aura step.
He needed to create distance between them at all costs.
However, Leo was relentless in closing the gap and denied Howl any respite.
‘I must hold my ground!’
Howl swung his spear, infused with poison aura, towards the advancing Leo.
Whoosh-!
However, Leo’s aura incinerated all of Howl’s poisonous elements.
He not only fell short in elemental compatibility but also in sheer power.
It was a clear disadvantage.
“Damn!”
The overwhelming sense of misjudgment against his opponent weighed heavily on Howl.
But he quickly composed himself and assumed a lower stance.
‘I can’t just keep getting beaten, whether it’s unexpected or not!’
Howl’s eyes transformed, resembling those of a snake fixated on its prey.
‘I’ve already prepared a countermeasure!’
Despite being hailed as a genius from a young age, Howl had failed to top the entrance examination. However, he held no grudges, only regret.
‘It’s because of Warden Tyden! That monster!’
Warden was a name known to everyone in the southern region, renowned for his terrifying power that bordered on monstrosity.
Howl believed himself to be among the best at the knight department this year, but he couldn’t claim to be the strongest.
“Selia Zerdingher! Chen Shia! Duran Moria!”
The three were considered the cream of the crop among his classmates.
From the moment he encountered them, he sensed they were a step ahead.
For Howl, who had always excelled in martial arts, this was a humbling experience.
Selia, in particular, stood out with her despairingly high level of skill. Her prowess surpassed his by a wide margin, even in elemental affinity.
‘I could have formulated strategies against Chen or Duran, but facing Selia left me feeling utterly powerless!’
She had appeared as an insurmountable obstacle at the beginning of the semester, but after months of relentless effort, Howl had devised countermeasures against her.
‘I had been reserving this for a duel with Selia, but this will do!’
Howl’s eyes gleamed with determination.
‘He’s a perfect test subject for my new technique! And Leo Plov, I can’t afford to lose to you!’
He spun his spear dramatically.
‘To you who is close to Selia!’
He had abandoned the notion that his opponent was weaker than him. He now regarded the person he was targeting as his equal.
‘I thought he was just a gloomy guy, but he got quite the resolve.’
He was carefully and surely gathering his strength to defeat him.
‘He must have worked incredibly hard to overcome the disadvantageous elemental compatibility.’
Though Howl’s gaze was fixed on Leo, it also seemed to pierce through him, as if looking at something beyond.
‘Is it Selia?’
Leo, quick to discern the situation, grinned.
The young man before him exuded a spirit of challenge.
‘I’ll gladly accept that challenge.’
Cliche Novel 