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Chapter 97




【97】96.
After swiftly eliminating the group of students who had targeted him, Leo climbed to the top of the tallest building he could see.
'People won’t know. That this is the land where I and Lysinas first brought down a Legion Commander.'
This city, which had been destroyed by greed, was also the place where Kail and Lysinas had once defeated Jormungand, the Legion Commander of Tartarus, the Glutton King.
And it was the landmark where the terrestrial races, having lost all their territories except for Gardsron, first succeeded in reclaiming their land.
The place where the legend of the great hero began, a legend that no longer exists even in records.
“Well, it’s a bit odd to call us great heroes since it was just me and Lysinas back then.”
Leo burst into laughter as he recalled his past life.
“Should we start by finding the Erdiana Lake?”
Leo took out the map of Nigrang he had prepared in advance and unfolded it.
The map had five locations marked.
And one of these five lakes might be where the Great Elemental Spirit of Radiance, Luminous, was sleeping.
“Back then, it was just me and Lysinas, so it’s a bit odd to call us great heroes.”
The current Luminous had suffered near-annihilation in the battle with Jormungand.
Thus, Lysinas had no choice but to seal Luminous in this land.
‘Even after so many years, the probability that Luminous is still asleep is almost zero, but...’
Leo lifted his eyes from the map.
‘If Luminous is still asleep, I’ll have to wake them up.’
***
The students quickly headed towards the center of Nigrang.
“Move quickly! There’s no reason to fight here!”
The landscape of the battle royale could change depending on who quickly secures the central castle ruins, a safe zone.
Even if they were to test their skills, the priority was to reach the central castle ruins first.
“If the curse activates, we’ll suffer without even getting a chance to fight! The priority is the central castle ruins!”
This battle royale was also a final practical exam, but it remained a competition between departments.
Therefore, many students were moving in departmental units.
This party was no exception.
On their way here, they had encountered parties from various departments, but there had been no battles.
Since it was the early stage, everyone was acting cautiously.
‘Fighting here would only be a loss for oneself!’
Jureden Lusen, ranked third in the Summoning Department, was certain of this.
He was the leader of a five-member Summoning Department party.
While moving quickly towards the castle walls, Jureden’s party was also making thorough preparations.
“There’s actually something edible in this cursed land.”
This battle royale wouldn’t end until the last person was determined.
It could potentially turn into a prolonged battle.
And the most important thing in a prolonged battle was food.
Jureden’s party was prepared for this.
“Thanks to the last month’s hard work in the Forest of Reclamation, it wasn’t in vain.”
A female student from the Summoning Department picked mushrooms and put them into a subspace while grumbling.
“Indeed.”
In the Forest of Reclamation, they had interacted with wild familiars that hadn’t been contracted.
Some students had achieved the ability to give simple commands to lower familiars and spirits without using mana, significantly improving their affinity.
But what was most helpful now was learning how to survive in the wild.
“Thanks to this, we won’t have to worry about food even in remote areas.”
“Ugh! Just thinking about it is terrifying!”
The students shook their heads as if they were shuddering.
‘If we just arrive and prepare for a prolonged battle...’
Suddenly, Jureden’s expression changed.
One of the spirits he had assigned to scout the area had been recalled.
“There seems to be a monster ahead. Let’s get out of here!”
“Okay!”
Jureden’s party started moving.
“Huh?”
“Why, Jureden?”
But seeing Jureden’s suddenly serious expression, the party members looked puzzled.
“I’ve been caught again.”
“What?”
“Me too!”
Another party member exclaimed in panic.
“Something is approaching at an incredible speed!”
Jureden shouted urgently.
At the same time...
Crack!
A fierce spark exploded in the ears of all the party members.
Flash!
A brilliant golden light burst in front of Jureden’s party.
“Duran!”
‘Damn! I ran into the most troublesome guy!’
Jureden frowned and said, eyeing Duran warily.
“Why are you blocking our way?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
Duran drew his sword and said.
“It’s a battle royale between departments. If we meet an enemy, it’s natural to fight.”
At this, the female student from the Summoning Department looked incredulous.
“What if the curse activates? Or if monsters appear while we’re fighting? Fighting here is a foolish act!”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
Duran sneered.
“Do you think I’m at the same level as you? Whether it’s monsters or curses, they’re not a big problem for me. It’s more beneficial to eliminate as many competitors as possible before heading to the central castle ruins.”
“I thought as much, that talking to you would be pointless.”
Jureden chuckled.
Whooosh!
A strong wind swirled around him.
“Still, Duran. I acknowledge your strength, but you’re underestimating me, aren’t you? The third-ranked student in the Summoning Department?”
“Wasn’t the third-ranked student in the Summoning Department Leo Flaubert? I didn’t know because I didn’t care.”
“This bastard!”
Crack!
Wind spirits launched a fierce gale at Duran.
Crack!
Duran’s face hardened as he stomped the ground roughly.
His feet sank deeply into the ground.
‘Just by summoning, you can have this much influence...’
“Interesting.”
Duran curled his lips and tightened his grip on his sword.
Crack!
Snap!
His muscles bulged as if about to tear his school uniform.
Seeing this, Jureden shouted.
“Destroy him! Alkethias!”
Whooosh!
The summoned high-level wind spirit transformed into a whirlwind and plunged at Duran.
Seeing the whirlwind that seemed to tear him apart, Duran’s eyes flashed.
Golden sparks flew from his eyes.
The power of the hero’s breath had maximized the strength of his sword.
‘Lightning Slash! Astrapae!’
The crescent-shaped lightning blade cut through the whirlwind and soared into the sky.
Jureden’s eyes widened in shock.
“Huff!”
Duran took a deep breath and pulled his feet out of the ground.
“Not bad, but that’s as far as it goes.”
“Damn it!”
Jureden’s face contorted.
As Duran approached, radiating aura, Jureden’s party took a step back.
“Stop there, Duran Moira.”
At the clear voice, Jureden’s party looked up in surprise.
“E, Eliza!”
“Big sister! You came to save us!”
“Eliza! Eliza! Eliza!”
“Do you intend to interfere, Eliza Helgin?”
Duran asked irritably, and Eliza, riding a high-level familiar, the Wind Wyvern, fiddled with her fingernails and replied.
“Since it’s a departmental competition, isn’t it natural to help students from my department?”
“Eek! Eek! Big sister! Take me with you!”
“Eliza! Eliza!”
The Summoning Department students continued to call out and praise Eliza.
Though she was usually haughty, Eliza was a student with a strong sense of pride in her department.
Despite her arrogance, she was very active in departmental affairs, which made her very popular among Summoning Department students.
Eliza lifted her gaze from her fingernails, looked down at Duran, and curled her lips.
“Well, if you insist on fighting because you don’t want to run away, I won’t stop you. Hahaha!”
“Haha. If you’re relying on these guys, you’ve made the wrong choice. Eliza Helgin.”
Duran burst into laughter.
Roar!
The tension between the two most arrogant first-year students made Jureden’s party start to look around nervously.
“W, won’t we get caught in the crossfire if we’re not careful?”
“W, we should help Eliza... but we might get hurt in their fight...”
As the Summoning Department students took a step back, sweating nervously, Duran’s eyes flickered, and he looked towards the sky in the opposite direction where Eliza was.
“Hrm?”
“Why, Bibi? Is something approaching?”
The Wind Wyvern, sensitive to wind movements, looked in the direction Duran was staring, and Eliza’s expression turned puzzled.
She didn’t lower her guard against Duran.
A moment later, something was seen flying at an incredible speed.
The moment they recognized it...
Whoosh!
“Screeech!”
A student flew across the sky.
Before she could prepare, Eliza was caught in the aftermath and rolled off her saddle.
Eliza’s face, which had been crushed under the Wind Wyvern’s back, was filled with anger.
Though she hadn’t fallen to the ground, it was a huge humiliation for a summoner to fall off the saddle of their familiar.
“Hmph. I didn’t expect to meet you so soon! I’ll settle this right here!”
The fastest student from the Knight Department chased after Leo and disappeared in an instant.
Meanwhile, Eliza, who had climbed back onto her saddle, glared at the direction Leo had disappeared.
“Again! Again! Again! Leo Flaubert! Is it you?”
“Eek! She’s angry! She’s really angry!”
“E, Eliza! Don’t worry about them now and head to the central castle ruins...”
“I can’t forgive it! I absolutely can’t forgive it this time! Bibi! Chase Leo Flaubert!”
“Kyaa!”
Spreading its wings, the Wind Wyvern soared into the sky at an incredible speed and then descended in the direction Leo had flown.
As the three disappeared in an instant, a female student from the Summoning Department looked bewildered.
“That’s the complete opposite direction of the central castle ruins. What are they planning to do?”
At this, Jureden sighed.
“He’s the top student of our school. He must have a plan.”
“I don’t know about Leo, but Eliza and Duran seem to have just chased after him without thinking.”
“Let’s leave those idiots alone.”
“Huh? Idiots? What do you mean?”
“Simple, ignorant fools.”
“Oh! That’s perfect!”
Jureden’s party chuckled.
“Don’t say I said that.”
“Based on what you’re doing!”
“Let’s move quickly. Before we get caught in another pointless fight.”
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