Chapter 24: Category Determination Exams at the Academy (1)
Chapter 24: Category Determination Exams at the Academy (1)
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Incapable.
An unpleasant situation where you cannot do anything of value.
As if you were bound hand and foot, with no means of escape.
This is what is called incapacity.
Was it the beginning, when they ignored their instincts?
Fools who do not know the limits of vanity.
The foolishness and arrogance of humans inevitably lead them to destruction.
There are many mistakes a person makes, to the point that you won't know which is greater than the other.
This is an absolute and prevailing truth.
Even so.
An unparalleled sin sits on the throne.
Arrogance and pride.
The greatest sins have always been vanity.
When you overestimate yourself, the fire you ignite will burn you alone.
Hunting the prey and delivering it to the supervising professor Dios.
That was the content of the mission.
Simple, without complication or difficulty.
When it became known among the new students that the hunt was led by Princess Lucia, many rushed to help her.
Wouldn't they be like benefactors if they supported her, even a little?
Such an opportunity was something to seize, of course.
With such thoughts, they came with greedy eyes.
If the prey resisted, there was no harm in using some force.
After all, with the princess's background, no sane person would dare to resist or complain, so it would be permissible for them to show their abilities.
If they succeeded, perhaps Princess Lucia would see them as valuable.
Just having a princess of the Kingdom of Cairo look at you is enough to draw all eyes towards you.
Not to mention being a contributor to a process she leads herself.
The benefits.
Self-interest, that is what drives a person actively.
There is no such thing as good in power struggles and benefit acquisition.
The princess has high value, so they will follow her to the ends of the earth.
It's okay, even if the princess does not pay them any attention, there are still others with prominent backgrounds.
As long as they show their value to those above them, there will be a bonus they can obtain.
His value has been high since that time.
It was no longer just a simple hunt.
The boy who came from the sky.
That was the first name he received when he arrived.
More than anyone to catch.
This is the second name he received.
He is now prey to be hunted.
Leon Evenius was not just someone to catch.
He was a means and a foothold.
A foothold for them to rise.
To rise higher, you have to step on something.
As soon as you step on that thing, you climb through it.
When someone rises, naturally, someone else will fall.
That is just one of the harsh truths in this world.
With the passing seconds and increasing search, their greed grew in their eyes.
They were young, so they were inexperienced.
They did not know more than a few methods to rise in society.
And this was one of them.
Unless the person themselves is strong, they have no choice but to rely on someone strong.
These are the rules of survival for the weak.
Unfortunately.
As if cold water fell on the dreamer to wake him, the cold reality awakened them from their slumber.
Not to mention showing any value, they were nothing more than spectators.
No struggle, no boasting, or even showing what is called benefit.
They dealt with monsters.
Humans cannot fight monsters.
That is just a fact.
When they arrived, they heard the sound of battle and felt a strange fog before they reached.
The sight that greeted them was the opposite of what they expected.
A scene of Leon struggling to escape, while they laughed at his futile resistance.
This is what comes to mind before arriving here.
Instead, what greeted them were the cold eyes of five people.
A boy wielding a sword with a fierce appearance approached them calmly and easily, as if he were on a stroll.
His calmness contrasted with the noise that was happening.
A spear-wielder radiating a calm atmosphere stared at them with obvious boredom in his eyes.
They were the ones who led them here.
They were supposed to be allies.
What they saw seemed the opposite.
A blonde girl with indescribable beauty carried her stagnant expressions with icy coldness.
The blonde boy with blue eyes was known to many.
He was Fernando Nicola.
He stood with the group and stared at them with cold eyes.
It was clear that their atmosphere was not comfortable, and did not indicate that they were allies.
An instinctive feeling of caution flickered like a wave in the heart.
Just like a rabbit sensing the presence of a fox.
Their instincts rang alarm bells.
Of course, for the young people blinded by greed, they simply ignored their emotions.
Their battle began.
No, it was foolish to even call it a battle.
It would be more appropriate to call it a massacre.
When wolves attack sheep, it is called a massacre.
When a shark hunts sardines, it is called a massacre.
And when a person overwhelms enemies alone, it is a massacre.
It was first the young swordsman.
With just a single wave, he defeated them.
A sword that their eyes could not comprehend.
A blue flash.
That is what they remembered seeing before they felt their faces touch the sand.
Some of them lost consciousness without noticing anything.
He was fast.
So fast that they lost consciousness without even feeling pain.
Incomprehensible.
One memory comes to mind at this.
A lightning bolt striking from the sky.
That is the only way they could describe the boy's sword.
Not to mention everything, the sword did not even come out of its sheath.
That was the extent of the gap between them.
A huge gap, to the point that you could only shake your head in amazement.
They did not even feel an inferiority complex.
He easily overwhelmed them.
However, what he did was push them away and knock some of them unconscious.
He did not do anything that could be called "hitting" against them.
He had self-control.
It was like the difference between the sun and the moon.
Completely opposite to the young swordsman.
The person they came for, they fought him.
No, they did not fight him, they offered their bodies for him to hit.
A demonic nature.
With eyes as red as blood piercing deep into your soul.
The pupil was like a dragon, sharp, showing cruelty and sadism.
A cruel smile that sends shivers down your spine appears on his face when he strikes you.
Predatory, merciless, unhesitating.
Whether they were of prominent backgrounds or Princess Lucia, he gave them no consideration.
He was a madman doing as he pleased!
He even subdued them with his strange power and forced them to remain still, leaving them incapacitated.
Playing a game, and waiting for something.
That is how it seemed to them.
Arrogant, not knowing his place, just a commoner without an identity!
The curses loomed in their heads, of course, no one dared to utter them.
Unfortunately, no matter how dissatisfied they were, the boy was oblivious to their suffering.
"After I finish my work with Dios, it is your turn, Princess"
His voice was calm.
While looking at a hidden spot, he addressed the girl behind him.
The second princess of the Kingdom of Cairo, Lucia Hardian.
A girl known for her kind and wise nature, and it was well known that she had no intention of taking the throne.
Is it true, is it a trick?
No one knew her stance on the struggle for the throne.
Thus, many were confused about treating her as an ally or an enemy.
This girl looked towards the place where Leon Evenius's eyes had turned.
A hidden spot where there was nothing.
It would have been true were it not for the strange distortion in space.
The empty spot had ripples in it.
When that distorted space first appeared, sound was isolated.
'I... probably, I would end my life here'
She could only remember the words the girl said before her voice disappeared.
Her only and sad appearance, her lifeless eyes.
The blonde girl said those words in an indifferent voice.
The princess naturally felt sadness behind her voice.
Revealing the manifest and hidden emotions of others was something inherent in her nature.
She was about to open her mouth to prevent others from talking about what the girl had said.
It was never respectful to talk and intervene in such a conversation.
At that time, an overwhelming pressure descended on the others.
The only ones who were safe from this pressure were a few.
For some reason, she was one of those who survived the suffocating pressure.
With his cold voice, he stopped them from talking.
A terrifying intent to kill.
There are no words that express more than this.
A shiver and tremor run through your body.
Fearing being killed, you lose your composure, and an unnatural hyperventilation pierces your lungs.
In the face of the intent to kill and the immense pressure, they were immediately silenced.
She tried to maintain her calm and observed, that was when she saw him.
A strange field covered the three people, preventing sounds from escaping, they could no longer hear them.
For her, it was unfathomable.
This person, Leon Evenius, possesses strange abilities.
She had never seen such a field in her life before.
Shortly after, those inside became hidden.
She tried to uncover him with her insight, but she saw nothing unusual.
No slight leakage of mana, not even a hair's worth.
Not only that, but his emotions or thoughts were still not apparent.
She no longer saw the beast lurking behind him, but he was still unreadable.
This person...
'He is the strongest young man I have ever met in my life'
The boy in front of her was harsh with his enemies, but gentle with his allies.
This is what she concluded from his actions.
Even now, when she saw him falling from the sky, she doubted he was a strange person claiming to be a student.
When Professor Dios ordered to capture him, it was supposed to be fine.
The professor would not act that way if he were not a student.
She became relieved when it turned out he was just an eccentric.
However...
A feeling of discomfort attacked her.
It was like intuition.
It whispered to her that there was something in his behavior.
And so, she led the campaign to capture him.
All in all, events unfolded and her suspicions were confirmed.
The boy was indeed strange, but his actions did not show that he belonged to one of the warring factions in the Kingdom of Cairo or Nanman.
Those people would avoid causing trouble, so that no one would catch them and threaten their authority due to a simple mistake.
Not to mention anything, they did not seem like someone from the nobility.
Evenius... there was no prominent family of that name.
'The reason is that...'
His power was not something that could be hidden.
That is why it seemed more realistic to believe that he was from the common folk or from a distant place.
Did she have a chance to defeat him if she faced him with everyone here?
'I would say, in a hundred battles, we would lose a hundred'
A person with such power, it would be unreasonable for him to be a noble but not have a reputation yet.
This means he acted alone.
In the first place, it is unimaginable that he would submit to someone.
In this world, no matter what someone's social status is, it has no value without power.
The best example of this was the heavenly devil, Chunma.
A legend of the generation.
A nightmare of the era, he is the man who painted the world red.
He is the one who undoubtedly held the title of the strongest.
Lineage and hereditary rule.
Mention that in front of him, and the last thing you will see is a smile, before you close your eyes to the world, once, and forever.
For him, those who held status due to their lineage were the weakest.
Whoever did not reach the heights by their own effort is scum, garbage of no value.
The righteous faction lived in fear when he was active in the world.
However, suddenly and unexpectedly.
Just like that, he disappeared.
How he appeared to the world, how he disappeared.
That was a mystery without a solution.
She could only liken him to that.
Unexpectedly, he came.
Leon Evenius, somehow, his tyrannical style resembled that of the heavenly devil, not to mention the overwhelming power.
The girl shook her head at this thought.
It was no longer important how this happened or where he came from.
What is more important is to focus on what is happening now.
"Now, I will remove the burden from your bodies, children, given how weak you are."
Saying that, his voice carried a polite tone.
The sarcastic words contradicted his polite voice.
A mirage.
With the disappearance of the power pressing on the body, one could imagine the situation as if it were a fleeting dream.
After the burden disappeared from them, they felt a sense of unreality.
As if nothing had happened in the first place.
"... Hah... Hah... Aah"
"Finally... damn! ... I thought I would be crushed"
The moans of the students appeared on the horizon.
Some were sweating profusely.
Others were lying on the ground while gasping.
And there were also those who seemed fine.
But unlike them.
Not a single drop of sweat.
Breathing regularly, humming with their mouths as if they were on a stroll.
Even when one jogs, those signs appear.
In comparison, that meant what Leon did was easier and more comfortable than jogging.
A shiver ran through the body.
A devil.
This person is a monster.
His gentle appearance while staring at them did not make them feel he was gentle.
On the contrary, it was frightening.
Observing their reactions, Leon laughed coldly in his mind.
The more they were afraid, the less rational they became, that was better.
Controlling a flock of sheep is easier when they are scared, because their thinking becomes predictable.
As long as you do not get swept away in the tide of their emotions, they will become like an open book to you.
Lucia was lost in thought, immersed in her ideas.
'It seems she is organizing her emotions, and wondering how to deal with me from now on?'
As if I would allow that!
"Oh, our dear princess~ ask whatever question you wish, and this humble servant has nothing but to answer you."
"Hah...?"
Kneeling on one knee, with his head down, the bow was polite and a submissive voice came from his mouth.
She could only be astonished, this person was incomprehensible.
Wait... a possibility flashed in her mind, after she felt the thoughts of someone, which were very strong, she remained silent.
Leon, if you did not know him well, you would be deceived by his perfect performance.
But after the tiger shows its teeth? Any submissive act he does towards the rabbit becomes an obvious mockery!
"How dare you! You rude scoundrel! Do you know who you are talking to? Know your place, you commoner!"
Is he a fool still holding hope to hunt Leon?
He could only watch the person he was cursing with a curious look.
A tall young man with a head that looked like a ruler, from his luxurious clothes, he seemed noble.
More than anything else, the tone of his voice was like that of a typical spoiled child.
Ed Vildy, the son of the Vildy family, he was from a low-level noble family in a semi-desolate area east of the Kingdom of Cairo.
The boy did not have any notable talent, so he resorted to his family's position to gain recognition.
He loved to bully the common people and the servants of his family's palace, unfortunately, his parents' kind attitude did not help stop him.
On the contrary, it got worse, licking the boots of the powerful, and crushing the weak, this was his approach.
People always claim to be strong in front of others.
He blindly believed that truth, because he was doing it himself.
'No matter how strong he is, his mana reserves must have run out by now, so he was speaking politely to the beauty queen, Princess Lucia!'
That was due to his fear of everyone's wrath if they gathered against him!
The only one who could get him out of the situation was the princess, so he would lick her shoe and flatter her, that is what Ed thought.
From the perspective of a scum like him, his thoughts were correct, of course, on the level of stupidity and foolishness.
Perhaps a little higher, anyway.
With such thoughts, he suppressed his fear and dared to confront Leon, to win the princess's favor.
"You must have run out of energy, so you are trying to flatter the beauty queen of our kingdom, as a citizen of the great Kingdom of Cairo, I will not allow you to go too far!"
On Ed's face was an arrogant smile, and he could only praise himself for his intelligence, as he relished the shocked faces of others.
Unfortunately for you, I discovered this first! Hahahaha!
Leon watched him silently, and did not say a word.
His silence seemed to confirm Ed Vildy, so he approached him fearlessly.
No one stopped him, it was pointless to help someone who had already dug his own grave.
Fernando, a mocking smile appeared on his face, sometimes, there are such fools, who could not read the situation and boasted unnecessarily.
Lineage and bloodline, this was an unfair system, because it was not based on qualifications from the beginning.
Of course, at this moment, this foolish noble would pay dearly for his foolish mistake.
Run out of energy? From what, playing with kids? What nonsense!
After seeing such a strange creature, Leon could not help but laugh lightly.
"This is the first time I meet such a clever person like you!"
Leon laughed warmly at Ed's talk, as he admitted sincerely.
"How could I not know that there is someone with your cleverness and sound mind here?"
"Hehe! Of course you wouldn't know, do you think you can probe me?"
After seeing that his guess was correct, Ed lost all signs of caution and became bolder.
"I do not dare! I, just a commoner, do not even hold a candle to your light and brilliance, young sir!"
A fearful voice and a submissive attitude, he seemed cautious, as if he was looking for a chance to escape.
In Ed Vildy's eyes, Leon was like a gentle lamb, and he no longer felt the threat of death anymore.
This is a risk in angering a tiger, but that is in order to please a dragon!
As long as he gains the princess's favor, won't he get a chance to reach the upper echelons of society, and perhaps strengthen his family's position?
And so, he began to see Leon as a sumptuous meal to devour alone!
"Young sir, I do not dare to speak of the beauty queen, Princess Lucia, ruler of the great Kingdom of Cairo! I was just pretending to make you think I am strong, but you have exposed me!"
His voice was tinged with fear, he was panicking!
Pfft!!
A muffled laugh was heard, no, it was a suppressed laugh.
Many could not help but laugh despite themselves.
The young master can't be fathom?
Bah! More than that, his foolishness and the coarseness of his mind were undoubtedly of the first degree!
This stupidity my mind has never seen before!
Their disdain for this fool only increased, and on the contrary, Leon's acting skills were terrifying.
These fearful expressions and trembling voice, not to mention trying to roll his eyes around as if looking for a place to escape, caused shivers.
Of course, Ed, being Ed, interpreted their laughter as mockery of Leon.
And he increased his attack relentlessly, starting to approach Leon.
There was one strange thing, the princess was silent, and did not open her mouth, not just her, Edward Harvey, Shin Su from the Shin clan.
They were all silent, as if waiting for something.
Enough playing,it's time to break this puppet.