Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student - Chapter 182

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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182

Everyone murmured as they looked back and forth between Leo and Ris.

Ris, who was sitting in the 5th-year spectator stands, narrowed his eyes as he watched Leo.

‘Indeed.’

Ris could immediately understand why Leo had pointed him out.

‘He’s going to prove himself through skill.’

Not a bad idea.

Since announcing Leo as a student council president candidate, the backlash had been surprisingly minimal.

But even so, this wasn’t a situation that could be easily overlooked.

The situation was literally the calm before the storm.

Various circumstances were complexly intertwined, and while people weren’t talking about this incident, no one knew when complaints might explode.

Moreover, there was the thought that ‘surely a 1st-year wouldn’t actually become student council president?’

Selecting the next student council president candidate was the current president’s authority.

But the final approval was done by the principal.

While the student council president’s opinion was respected, candidates that were too absurd wouldn’t be approved.

Ris rested his chin on his hand.

‘Regarding Leo, the principal also gave permission though.’

When Ris recommended Leo as the next student council president, the principal readily agreed.

‘Many people recognize Leo’s value.’

At this rate, Leo becoming student council president was a foregone conclusion.

However…

‘The students won’t be convinced.’

That’s why Leo had to prove himself somehow.

That he was someone worthy of becoming student council president.

Ris thought Leo would do that after becoming student council president.

But surprisingly, Leo was trying to prove himself before becoming president.

In front of all the students watching.

In one sense it was bold, but conversely it could be too reckless.

Now that it had come to this, Ris absolutely wouldn’t go easy on Leo.

‘The moment I hold back, he won’t be recognized by anyone.’

Watching his cousin who chose a frontal assault rather than turning away, Ris curled up the corners of his mouth.

[Um… Ris. What are you going to do?]

Cheira, who was hosting, asked in a hushed voice.

At Cheira’s question, Ris smiled.

“When someone challenges me like this, it wouldn’t be polite to avoid it.”

An unprecedented duel evaluation between the 1st-year representative and 5th-year representative was arranged.

***

After that, the nominations among 1st-years began.

For other students, since most had been discussed beforehand, things proceeded smoothly.

After all the opponents were decided.

Seeing that he would actually fight the student council president, Iliana stuck out her tongue.

“Wow. Crazy bastard. Really crazy bastard.”

Leo was the only one who had nominated an upperclassman in this duel evaluation.

Watching Iliana speak with an exasperated expression, Nella said.

“Will you be okay?”

Looking at Nella who asked worriedly, Leo smiled.

“I’ll have to face it head-on.”

Despite causing such a huge incident, seeing Leo remain calm, the class students were amazed.

Chelsea came to Leo’s side, clenched both fists tightly, and her eyes sparkled.

“Leo oppa, fighting.”

Chelsea was actively supporting Leo becoming student council president.

Seeing that, Taide said.

“Even so, a 1st-year student council president is unrealistic.”

“Huh? Are you saying Leo oppa can’t become student council president now? What?”

“Ah, no. I was just talking realistically… St-stop it! What are you, some kind of thug?!”

Chelsea kicked at Taide with a fierce expression, and Taide hurriedly ran away.

Meanwhile, two students appeared on the dueling arena built in the middle of the training ground.

Seeing this, the 1st-years showed tense expressions.

“Leo is fighting such an unconventional opponent, but…”

“This match also looks quite formidable.”

The ones who went up to the training ground were two female students with black hair.

One was a girl with black hair and vivid red eyes – Selia.

And the other was Chen Xia with black hair and black eyes.

It was a duel between two students competing for first place in the Knight Department.

Looking at attribute compatibility alone, Chen Xia had the advantage.

But this match wasn’t one that would be decided simply by attribute superiority.

While everyone focused on the duel, Cheira, who came out as the host, said.

[Now! A duel between 1st-years that’s drawing attention from the start! A match between Selia Jerdinger and Chen Xia! Wow! As a 5th-year from the Knight Department, I was curious about the juniors’ match!]

Cheira, who stood between the two with a cheerful voice, sparkled her eyes.

But she didn’t bring up anything more than that.

Actually, she seemed to want to talk more, but she couldn’t since she had been warned by Hallind earlier.

[Now then! The first match of the 1st-years’ midterm duel evaluation! Starting now!]

With those words, Cheira stepped down from the dueling arena.

Facing each other, Selia drew her sword and said.

“This is the first time we’re having a proper match like this, right?”

“That’s right.”

Chen Xia smiled slightly and took her stance.

The two had practiced together many times, but had never actually competed in skill.

Formally in front of everyone watching like this.

Moreover, this was the first duel where they had to use all their strength to defeat each other.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’m looking forward to it too.”

Chen Xia smiled slightly.

“Selia, you also do personal training with Young Master Leo, right? I’d like to see the results.”

At those words, Selia lowered her stance and activated her aura.

“You shouldn’t be so relaxed.”

Whoosh-!

Aura blazed around Selia’s body.

“If you’re careless, you’ll be defeated in an instant!”

Selia, wrapping her sword in flame aura, charged at Chen Xia with tremendous speed.

Seeing this, Chen Xia spread her palm and raised water aura.

Swish-!

Chen Xia, who wrapped her entire body in a thin water barrier like silk, spun her body around.

‘Selia doesn’t stop.’

Selia’s swordsmanship was very aggressive.

Though one might expect elegant swordsmanship since she used a rapier, contrary to that image, she employed quite ferocious techniques.

‘Until early first semester, it was quite gentle swordsmanship.’

Someone had changed Selia’s swordsmanship style.

‘That doesn’t mean Selia’s swordsmanship isn’t delicate or is rough though.’

She used overwhelming firepower to create openings and persistently exploited those gaps.

It was difficult to find openings even when trying to block her attacks.

This was proof that she wasn’t just pushing forward with brute force.

That’s why Chen Xia knew all too well that blocking Selia’s attacks head-on would be foolish.

Water was certainly an attribute specialized in defense, but even better than that was evasion.

Kwagagak-!

Chen Xia deflected Selia’s thrusting attack with fluid movements like water.

Selia, who lost her balance, staggered for a moment.

But Chen Xia didn’t aim for that opening.

Hwaak-!

Selia, who had regained her posture, immediately spread flame aura in all directions.

Aura release.

Chiiiiik-!

The flames spreading in all directions evaporated Chen Xia’s water aura.

Flames that seemed like they would turn everything to ash.

But Chen Xia didn’t retreat and clenched her fist.

And she dove into Selia’s embrace as she breathed out flames.

‘She’s not retreating?’

Selia was flustered by her opponent’s unexpected action.

She had expected a prolonged battle with Chen Xia.

But catching her off guard, Chen Xia rushed in to end the fight in an instant.

Kwak-!

Chen Xia’s fist struck Selia’s chest.

She deployed aura armor for a moment, but it was too late.

“Kuk!”

Selia hastily created distance.

In a fight against Chen Xia, whose specialty was martial arts, this kind of close combat was disadvantageous.

Selia retreated to create an angle to swing her sword.

But Chen Xia didn’t pursue Selia.

‘What? I thought she would attack more since she had the advantage?’

Selia looked at Chen Xia with a slightly bewildered expression.

Seeing such Selia, Chen Xia smiled faintly.

Her uniform was burned here and there, and her hands had quite severe burns.

It might be different for someone with a weapon.

But for Chen Xia, whose specialty was martial arts, those burns would certainly be a major blow.

Thud- Thud-

But Chen Xia didn’t care.

She just let her arms hang down and closed the distance with Selia.

Seeing this, Selia quickly wiped her mouth.

‘She’s different from the Chen Xia I’ve known so far.’

The atmosphere had changed.

Chen Xia, who was always gentle and soft, now felt like a single blade that had been sharpened very keenly.

Her usual soft smile now felt like a chilling blade.

‘This is Chen Xia in actual combat.’

Selia broke out in cold sweat as she gripped her sword tighter.

‘She’s different from me. No, different from other Knight Department students too.’

It was Chen Xia who gained the advantage in the recent exchange.

If they continued to exchange attacks step by step, calculating gains and losses like this, Selia would be the one to fall.

But if that happened, Chen Xia would also have no ‘way back.’

‘It wouldn’t matter if this were a sparring evaluation. But what if this were a battlefield?’

This kind of attack method would lead not only the opponent but also herself to destruction.

The place where heroes are active is the battlefield.

A place where countless variables can occur at any time.

That’s why Chen Xia’s attack method was far from being ‘heroic.’

Even the Knight Academy of Lumern had never taught this kind of combat method.

‘What exactly is she?’

Seeing this side of Chen Xia that she didn’t know, Selia couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

***

Leo, sitting in the 1st-year spectator stands, narrowed his eyes.

‘As expected.’

Leo, resting his chin on his hand, muttered to himself.

‘An assassin.’

He had felt it before when Chen Xia challenged him during the Inter-Department Competition, but she was different from ordinary knights.

He thought she was specialized in one-on-one situations.

But even her specialization in one-on-one fights was different from ordinary knights.

But seeing this confrontation with Selia, he was certain.

Chen Xia’s movements resembled those of an assassin.

‘Though she seems quite different from ordinary assassins too.’

With Chen Xia’s skills, there was no need to specifically aim for openings.

Her combat style was just similar to an assassin’s.

‘She would be ideal as an assassin or bodyguard. But it’s not the attitude a hero should pursue.’

Besides Leo, the 4th and 5th-year students also saw through Chen Xia’s nature and showed surprised expressions.

Professor Ain, who was watching from a distance, narrowed her eyes.

Yura, who was beside her, asked.

“You look displeased, Senior Ain.”

“I can’t help but be displeased. Using such a talent as a mere chess piece for ‘personal’ purposes is a tremendous loss.”

“But what can we do? Chen Xia’s status is what it is.”

“Even if she’s half-blood, the emperor’s daughter is still the emperor’s daughter. And yet she receives such treatment.”

“Shan is a strict country when it comes to bloodlines. Besides, the other half is from the ‘Shadow Clan,’ so it can’t be helped.”

Yura also clicked her tongue as if feeling regretful.

The Shan Empire.

A powerful nation located at the eastern edge of the continent.

While it doesn’t command the entire western continent like Rodren, it’s still a hegemonic state occupying half of the eastern continent.

And Chen Xia was the emperor’s daughter, if only considering ‘bloodline.’

Of course, only the professors knew this fact.

Chen Xia had never once mentioned her status.

‘I don’t like it.’

Ain narrowed her eyes.

***

Thud-!

‘If I stay like this, I’ll lose!’

Selia gritted her teeth.

Chen Xia’s attacks, which came after precisely calculating the damage to give and receive, were thrilling.

Since Selia had never experienced anything like this, she was even more bewildered.

But Selia maintained her composure.

‘Sia’s attacks are so precarious that they could lose balance at any moment.’

Chen Xia’s attacks, which maintained a delicate balance while gradually gaining advantage, were certainly an attack method that could become a major disaster the moment she slipped up.

But even within that precariousness, Chen Xia was maintaining her balance well.

‘I need to make her make a mistake.’

Thinking this, Selia gripped her sword tighter.

Seeing this, Chen Xia smiled bitterly.

‘She’s steeled her resolve. As expected of Miss Selia.’

Chen Xia’s attacks are like a swamp.

Once you fall in, you can’t pull your feet out.

Selia had acknowledged that fact and thrown her decisive move.

‘Quick judgment.’

For Chen Xia, all the Knight Academy students were easy to handle.

To Chen Xia, who had learned methods to ‘destroy’ people, her Knight Academy peers who had grown up righteously were easy opponents to handle.

‘Of course, Young Master Leo was different.’

It wasn’t simply a difference in technique.

It was as if the number of battles they had experienced was different.

“Miss Selia is… like a flame.”

“What?”

“You shine too brightly.”

Chen Xia smiled faintly and raised her aura.

‘If Miss Selia has resolved herself and thrown her decisive move, I can’t respond half-heartedly.’

Unlike other students, Selia’s attack power is on a different level.

‘If I respond half-heartedly, I’ll be defeated in an instant.’

If this weren’t a duel, she could have conducted the battle more advantageously.

She could use any means necessary.

It might be called cowardly, but Chen Xia had been taught that the value of victory was higher than such vileness.

‘But this is a duel.’

And at this moment, she didn’t want to win in that way.

Seeing Selia’s flame reminded her of someone.

Whoosh—!

A torrent of water swirled around Chen Xia.

The torrent soon began to take the shape of a dragon.

“Prominence.”

Whoosh—!

Crimson flames surged.

“Water Dragon.”

A massive water dragon opened its mouth and roared.

Crash! Boom! Hissssss—!

The crimson flames and water dragon collided, spewing massive amounts of steam.

When the steam cleared, Selia and Chen Xia were barely standing at the edge of the dueling arena.

“I had a big advantage.”

Chen Xia smiled bitterly as she tore her burnt uniform.

“But in one move, we became equal.”

“Ugh—!”

Selia wore a frustrated expression.

Both had exhausted their stamina.

Seeing the two swaying figures, Cheira stepped onto the dueling arena.

[Stop! The professors say to stop! If you continue, you’ll be seriously injured!]

Cheira, who had stepped between the two, was amazed.

[You’re both amazing! You don’t seem like 1st-years. Excellent! The duel result is a draw! Both of you showed magnificent performances!]

Cheira clapped and smiled brightly.

[Both of you go to the medical tent for treatment.]

“Yes.”

Chen Xia smiled faintly and headed to the medical tent without regret.

Meanwhile, Selia gritted her teeth.

‘It doesn’t feel like a draw.’

Her maximum attack hadn’t worked on Chen Xia.

Dragging her aching body, Selia also headed to the medical tent.

“What would have happened if they kept fighting?”

“Chen Xia would have won.”

Leo answered Chelsea’s question calmly.

Chelsea was surprised by his words.

“Weren’t they evenly matched?”

“They were similar. But Chen Xia had a subtle advantage. And Chen Xia would never have lost that edge.”

“I see.”

“However.”

“However?”

“I can’t guarantee Chen Xia would win if they fought next time.”

‘Their skills are nearly equal. The difference is experience. She can’t beat Selia using the same methods.’

While students cheered for Selia and Chen Xia, the next match began.

After that, several more big matches like Selia and Chen Xia’s took place.

The duels of top-ranking students brought tremendous interest and excitement.

In the midst of this.

All students had completed their duels, and only one match remained.

Leo stepped onto the dueling arena and loosened up, rotating his wrists.

Thud— Thud—

Footsteps could be heard along with him.

Everyone held their breath.

Leo smiled as he looked at the man before him.

The current strongest student at Lumern.

Ris Jerdinger.

“Please take care of me, Leo.”

“Please take care of me, Brother Ris.”

The two greeted each other with similar smiles.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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