Legendary Hero is an Academy Honors Student

 "Hey Lucky, I'm up first," Leo said with a grin as he stepped forward.

The Knight department's practical exam was straightforward - win five duels to pass. 

However, victory wasn't the only factor in scoring as the opponent and the content of the duel could also affect the score. 

Winning quickly was crucial, but Leo aimed to win all matches without losing.

"How lucky are you to be up against me first? I bet you don't even care," Leo's first opponent, Howl, said with a smirk.

Howl Nape came from a high family of heroes in the southern kingdom of Tul. Although their reputation was lower than Gerdinger's, they were still considered a famous hero family, known for their ever-changing spearman-ship, Nape Spear. Among the knight students in Class 1, Howl was the third most evaluated after Celia and Duran.

Howl flicked his tongue and pulled out a spear, a spear 1.5 times longer than the normal spear, from his subspace bracelet, while Leo drew his sword from his waist.

“As I said before, the side that renders the opponent unable to fight wins. Think of it as a real battle and engage in sparring.”

Ain briefly explained the rules before stepping back.

The entire parade ground was a place for sparring, with no predetermined judgments.

As they faced each other, Howl sneered, "I look forward to this. I've been thinking of getting revenge since your Class 5 beat us in combat science class at the start of the semester."

“Did you still have that in mind?”

When Leo asked with a smile, Howl laughed coldly.

“Napes never forget the humiliation.”

Leo laughed, "Did cleaning the bathroom really bother you that much?"

Howl clenched his fists, "You have no idea how much the others teased me. I'll pay for that humiliation today, Leo Flove!"

Swoosh-!

Howl adjusted his grip on the spear and lowered his stance, assuming a posture that resembled that of a snake preparing to strike. 

Observing his opponent's stance, Leo extended his sword, ready to face whatever attack might come his way.

"Leo, I know you did great in the entrance exam," said Howl, raising his eyebrows. "But you started behind the other students. I heard you couldn't awaken your Aura during the entrance exam. Will you be able to stop this attack?"

Kwaak-! Whoop!

The tip of Howl's spear was aimed at Leo's chest, a typical straight-line thrust.

SWOOSH!

If it was a normal spear technique, it was easy to avoid if you predict the trajectory.

'But that's when Nape Spear starts!'

However, House Nape's spear had a unique characteristic that made it unpredictable, like a live snake.

'The moment you dodge, you'll be cornered!'

Many students had been caught off-guard by it and lost to Howl without even landing a blow. But Leo was not an ordinary student.

TUK-!

“… … !”

Howl's eyes widened in surprise as Leo deftly grabbed the spearhead before it could strike him.

Leo smirked at Howl and asked, "You heard about me from the other kids, but didn't Celia from your class tell you about me?"

Howl grunted in confusion, "Ughhh?"

In a swift motion, Leo used his raw strength to lift Howl up into the air with the spearhead. Howl, who was preparing to use his Aura, was taken aback by Leo's impressive display of brute force.

Leo declared confidently, "I'm strong!" before forcefully slamming Howl to the ground.

SLAM-! BANG-!

Just before hitting the ground, Howl activated his Aura Armor to reduce the impact. He got back on his feet and grinned at Leo.

"I heard about your impressive entrance exam results, but I didn't expect you to be this strong," he said as the tip of his spear emitted a green glow. "But physical strength alone won't solve your underlying weakness," he added, his green eyes flashing with confidence.

Leo swiftly let go of the spear, and a cloud of smoke rose from the spot where Howl had stood.

WOOSH-!

'Poison Aura? It's a unique characteristic.'

Leo grinned with amusement. 

The Aura was a clear advantage in long-term battles, so it was understandable that he was so confident.

'But it's still a long way off.'

“To talk about my weakness.” Leo chuckled. “Aren’t weaknesses meant to be overcome?”

Hwareuk-!

The flame aura rising from Leo's body pushed away Howl's poison aura, and Howl smirked.

'Certainly, a flame attribute aura is a weakness for me! But as long as it's not on Celia's level, I can reverse the compatibility!'

WOSHHHH-!

More powerful poison erupted from Howl's body, and Leo increased his firepower accordingly.

'It's no use! Unless it's Celia!'

WOOOSHHH-!

WOORRRR!

As if competing, the flames grew stronger each time the poison did, but as time passed, Howl's face hardened.

'Unless…. Celia... … not enough... …?'

His face turned pale, and his eyes met Leo's red ones.

'Nonsense! Celia's level of firepower?!'

Leo had stood out at the beginning of the semester, but he had never properly demonstrated his skills in a duel, which evaluated overall combat power. Most predicted Howl's victory in this duel, where the first-year students' overall skills improved quickly.

However, as if mocking those expectations, Leo pressed Howl with a powerful flame aura.

Celia, watching the situation with her arms folded outside, made a surprised expression.

'When?'

Celia was one of the few who had predicted Leo's victory, but even she was surprised by the extent to which he raised the firepower of his flame aura.

Duran looked at Leo and grinned. 

"Looks like Howl isn't enough." 

"Hey, let's not count Howl out just yet," a class 1 student from the Knights Department scolded Duran.

Duran sneered. "Are your eyes for decoration? Howl was already at a disadvantage in terms of compatibility, and he's being completely pushed out of the power struggle. Do you really think Howl is promising?"

"Even so, Howl still has the Nape Spear. Aura compatibility isn't the only factor that determines victory or defeat."

"You fool! Do you really think Howl can overcome Leo Flove's skills?"

"He's the fourth strongest in our class."

"It doesn't matter if Howl is the fourth strongest in our class." 

A spark flew from Duran's body. 

"I'm the one who's going to beat Leo Flove." 

"You? I don't think so." 

Celia, who was standing nearby, sneered.

“Are you taking sides just because you always hang out with him, Celia Gerdinger?”

"I'm not taking sides. I'm the one who's going to beat Leo. You’re not good enough for him."

"Stop talking nonsense. I'll show you who has the upper hand right now."

"Good. Let's see you try."

Wooosh!

Woorrrrrr!

Duran and Celia had a notoriously bad relationship, as Duran constantly sought to defeat anyone above him while Celia boasted about being the best.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's with the fighting between us? Shouldn't we be cheering for Howl?!" a class 1 student interjected, trying to diffuse the situation, but Duran and Celia showed no signs of calming down.

"You two, if you fight now, won't it just end with us having to write self-reflection letters?" another student warned.

Chen Xia laughed and managed to calm them down, but Duran still snorted and walked away while Celia gracefully tossed her hair back. 

"Class 1 certainly has a lot of fighting spirit," Chen Xia remarked.

"It's not fighting spirit. I just want to smack that unlucky bastard in the face," Celia retorted.

"Isn't that still fighting spirit?" Chen Xia countered.

Professor Sedzen had forbidden duels between students in the same class, so Celia and Duran had never actually fought each other.

"Xia, you also want to fight Leo, but you say that kind of thing," Celia observed.

"I definitely want to fight Young Master Leo, but he's not my only target," Chen Xia replied with a glint in her eye. "I want to fight Miss Celia, and I also want to fight Duran. And my goal is to defeat all three of them."

"You certainly have the strongest fighting spirit," Celia sighed as she looked at Chen Xia.

The other students watched nervously as the top students in the Knight Department engaged in their usual war of nerves.

"Leo sure is popular," Nella remarked in her languid voice. 

"I'd decline that kind of popularity," Illyana said, shaking her head.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ 

“Haap!”

Howl quickly stepped back, trying to distance himself from the fire aura that Leo had unleashed.

However, Leo was determined to keep up the pressure and did not allow Howl to create any distance between them.

'I have to stop it!'

In desperation, Howl swung his spear, which was filled with a poison aura, at Leo as he approached.

WOOSH-!

But Leo's flame aura was too strong, and it burned away all of Howl's poison.

Howl was already at a disadvantage in terms of compatibility, and the power struggle pushed him even further back.

“Kuk!”

Howl felt embarrassed at his misjudgment, but he quickly regained his composure and lowered his stance. He couldn't afford to take any more hits.

'It's unexpected, but I can't just get hit!'

Howl's eyes glinted like a snake preparing to strike. 

'I've to use that!'

Howl, who had been known as a genius since childhood, was disappointed when he didn't come in first place in the entrance exam. However, he didn't feel bitter about it. 

He knew it was because Wald Tiden, the renowned powerhouse, had also taken the exam.

Howl was still among the most talented of the Knight Department's freshman students this year, but he knew he wasn't the strongest.

Celia Gerdinger, Chen Xia, and Duran Moira were all said to be the top students in the department, and Howl couldn't deny it.

He was shocked to find himself lagging behind the others, especially Celia.

'I was able to devise a strategy against Chen Xia and Duran! But I only felt powerless against Celia!'

Even at the beginning of the semester, it was a wall that could never be crossed.

However, he worked hard and eventually devised a plan to defeat Celia, but he kept it secret in preparation for their eventual confrontation.

'It can't be helped now!'

Howl's eyes flashed.

'It's a good opponent to test the new technique! And Leo Flove! I can't lose to you!'

Whurllll-!

'As much as you who are close to Celia! It’s worth it.’

The idea that the opponent was weaker than himself was already erased from his mind.

He looked at the same level as the person he was targeting.

'I thought he was just a gloomy guy, but he is pretty talented.'

Howl gathered his strength carefully and surely to defeat his opponent.

'It looks like he put in a lot of effort to overcome the unfavorable compatibility,' thought Leo. 

Howl's eyes were focused on Leo, but he was also keeping an eye on something behind him.

'Is it Celia?' Leo, who understood it easily, grinned.

The boy in front of him was burning with the spirit of challenge.

'The challenge. I'll accept it.'