The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student-Chapter 36: Flames of Challenge

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The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student

[Original — Yerona]

[TL — MiT7]

[PR — Spades]

[QC — Lumi]

Chapter 36 — Flames of Challenge

——————

"Lucky you, getting the first match," Leo said, smirking as he stepped forward.

The Knight Studies practical exam was straightforward: win five duels.

Five victories meant passing.

Detailed scoring depended on opponents and duel performance, so wins weren't the sole criterion.

Still, securing victories quickly was key.

Naturally, Leo aimed for an undefeated streak.

"Lucky for being first? Guess I'm not even on your radar!" Howl said, laughing.

Howl Naif, from the Tool Kingdom's hero family in the southern continent.

Less renowned than the Zerdingers, but still a hero family.

He wielded the unpredictable Snaif Spear technique.

Among Class 1's Knight Studies students, he was ranked third, behind Celia and Duran.

Licking his lips, Howl drew a spear from his subspace bracelet.

It was a long spear, one-and-a-half times a standard one's length.

Leo unsheathed his sword from his hip.

"As discussed, the duel ends when one renders the other combat-incapable. Treat it like real combat," Professor Ain said, stepping back.

No out-of-bounds rulings existed.

The entire training ground was the arena.

Facing each other, Howl licked his lips again. "I'm pumped. Ever since Class 5 beat us in Combat Studies early this semester, I've been itching for payback."

"Still hung up on that?" Leo asked, chuckling.

"The Naifs don't forget humiliation," Howl said, smiling coldly.

"Was cleaning the bathrooms that bad?" Leo teased.

"Ugh! You know how much the other classes mocked me?" Howl said, clenching his fist. "I'll repay that shame, Leo Flove!"

Swish!

Howl gripped his spear, crouching low.

His stance mimicked a snake poised to strike.

Leo lowered his sword casually.

"Leo, I heard how impressive you were at the entrance exam," Howl said, his lips curling. "But you're clearly behind others from the start. They say you didn't awaken aura then. Can you block this?"

Whoosh! Slash!

Howl's spear aimed for Leo's chest.

Blinding speed!

Standard spear thrusts were linear, predictable, and dodgeable with foresight.

'But the Snaif Spear starts there!' Howl thought.

The Naif family's spear technique moved like a living snake.

Dodging recklessly could spell disaster.

'The moment you dodge, you're cornered!'

Against most students, yielding the first strike meant defeat.

But Leo wasn't most students.

Grab!

"...!" Howl's eyes widened.

Leo caught the spear shaft just before it struck.

"You heard about me from others, but not from Celia, my classmate?" Leo asked, smiling coldly.

Whoosh!

"What?" Howl gasped.

Leo hoisted Howl, spear and all, straight upward.

Howl, braced for aura, gaped as Leo lifted him with sheer strength.

"I'm pretty strong!" Leo said.

Slam! Boom!

Leo slammed Howl into the ground.

Howl minimized damage with an aura shield just before impact.

Rising, Howl grinned. "Of course I heard. Just a bit surprised by your strength."

Hum!

His spear glowed green.

"But raw power doesn't fix your core weakness!" Howl said, his green eyes flashing.

Leo quickly released the spear.

Sizzle!

Smoke rose from the ground where Howl stood.

'Poison Aura? Rare trait,' Leo thought, intrigued.

Ideal for drawn-out fights.

Howl's confidence made sense.

'But you're not there yet.'

"You're talking about my weaknesses," Leo said, smirking. "Don't they exist to be overcome?"

Fwoosh!

Flame Aura erupted from Leo, repelling Howl's Poison Aura.

Howl grinned. 'Flame Aura is my weakness, sure. But unless it's Celia's level, I can flip the matchup!'

Whoosh!

Stronger venom surged from Howl.

Leo ramped up his flames in response.

'No use! Unless it's Celia's level!' Howl thought.

Fwoosh! Roar!

As Howl's venom intensified, Leo's flames grew fiercer, like a contest.

Howl's face hardened over time.

'Not... Celia's... level?'

Pale, Howl met Leo's red eyes.

'No way! Celia-level firepower?!'

Leo's prominence was early-semester talk.

He'd never fully showcased his strength in duels assessing overall combat.

With first-years' skills spiking for this exam, most bet on Howl.

But Leo defied expectations, overwhelming Howl with potent Flame Aura.

Outside, Celia, arms crossed, looked stunned. 'When did he get that strong?'

One of few predicting Leo's win, even she hadn't expected this firepower.

Duran, watching, chuckled. "Howl's not enough."

"He hasn't lost yet. Bit early to call it," a Class 1 Knight Studies student chided.

Duran sneered. "Your eyes broken? He's already at a disadvantage in matchup and crushed in raw power. Think Howl has a shot?"

"Even so, he's got the Snaif Spear. Aura matchups don't decide everything," the student countered.

"Hmph! Think Howl can outskill Leo Flove?" Duran asked.

"He's our class's number four," the student said.

"Fourth or not, it's irrelevant," Duran said, sparks crackling from him. "I'll be the one to beat him."

"You? Doubt it," Celia scoffed.

"Playing favorites because you're close, Celia Zerdinger?" Duran said.

"Not favoritism. I'm the one beating Leo. You can't even beat me," Celia said.

"Nonsense. I'll show you who's on top," Duran said.

"Fine. I'll crush you," Celia replied.

Crackle!

Fwoosh!

Duran, eager to topple anyone above him, and Celia, fiercely proud of being the best, were at odds.

"Hey! Stop fighting! We're here to cheer Howl! No aura!" a Class 1 student pleaded, but they didn't relent.

"You two, fighting now won't end with just a reflection essay," Chen Xia said, smiling, intervening.

Duran snorted and walked off; Celia elegantly flipped her hair back.

"Class 1's full of fight," Chen Xia said.

"Not really. I just want to smash that jerk's face," Celia said.

"That's fighting spirit, no?" Chen Xia asked.

Professor Sedjen banned intra-class duels, so Celia and Duran never clashed.

"Speaking of, Xia, you want to fight Leo too, yet you say that," Celia said.

"I do want to face Young Lord Leo. But he's not my only target," Chen Xia said.

"Then?" Celia asked.

"I want to fight you, Duran, and beat all three," Chen Xia said, eyes gleaming.

"You've got the most fighting spirit," Celia said, sighing.

Spectators, tense from the top students' spat, sighed in relief as it fizzled.

"Leo's popular," Nella said in her languid tone.

"I'll pass on that kind of popularity," Iliana said, shaking her head. freewebnσvel.cѳm

***

"Hah!"

Howl desperately used aura steps to evade Leo's flaming aura swings.

He needed distance.

But Leo wouldn't allow it.

'I have to stop him!'

Howl swung his Poison Aura-laden spear at the approaching Leo.

Fwoosh!

Leo's aura burned through the venom.

Outmatched in both matchup and power, Howl was clearly losing.

"Ugh!"

Shock from misjudging his opponent overwhelmed him.

But he steadied himself, crouching low.

'Unexpected, but I can't just take it!'

His eyes turned serpentine, predatory.

'I've got a plan!'

A prodigy since childhood, Howl didn't take top rank at the entrance exam.

He felt no resentment, only slight regret.

'Woreden Tyden! That monster!'

In the south, everyone knew Woreden.

His terrifying power was beyond genius—monstrous.

Howl believed he was the best in Knight Studies.

Indeed, he was among the top first-year knight students.

But he couldn't claim the top.

'Celia Zerdinger! Chen Xia! Duran Moria!'

The three deemed the best in their class.

He knew instantly they were a cut above.

A massive blow for Howl, always the best in martial arts.

Celia, especially, was despair-inducing.

Outclassed in skill and crushed by matchup.

'I could strategize against Chen Xia or Duran! But Celia left me powerless!'

Early on, she was an insurmountable wall.

But months of grueling effort yielded a counter for Celia.

'Meant to hide it for her duel, but this works!'

Howl's eyes flashed.

'Perfect opponent to test my new technique! Leo Flove, I won't lose to you!'

Twirl!

He spun his spear flamboyantly.

'Especially not to you, Celia's friend!'

He'd erased the notion of Leo being weaker.

He viewed him as an equal to his target.

'Thought he was just a brooding guy, but those are sharp eyes.'

Leo was gathering strength cautiously, decisively, to defeat him.

'Must've worked hard to overcome his bad matchup.'

Howl's eyes saw Leo but also something beyond—another figure.

'Celia,' Leo thought, grinning, easily reading him.

The boy before him burned with defiance.

'That challenge? I'll take it.'