KakaoPage Originals
The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student
[Original — Yerona]
[TL — MiT7]
[PR — Spades]
[QC — Lumi]
Chapter 15 — The Spirit Summoner's Wrath
——————
"Who do you think you are?"
"Huh?"
"You're Lumern students—hero candidates! When danger strikes, shouldn't your first thought be to overcome it yourselves?"
Ain's roar made the students flinch.
His eyes caught Leo moving without hesitation.
"There's a proper one."
A kraken's towering arm slammed down at blinding speed.
Slash—!
Leo drew his sword, severing it.
Splat—!
Kicking the writhing tentacle back into the lake, Leo shouted, "Don't be scared by its size! You've got the skills to handle this!"
His gaze locked onto Celia and Chloe.
"Hmph! Who's scared?"
Chloe snorted, bristling.
Celia, unwilling to be outdone, drew her sword.
"What do you take me for, Leo?"
Whoosh—!
Flame aura, Zerdinger's hallmark, flared from her blade.
"As if I'd be scared of some squid—!"
Splash—!
"Aaagh!"
A water jet shot from the kraken's tentacle, dousing Celia.
Her aura armor shielded her, but she was soaked, looking like a drowned rat.
"It's a kraken's instinct. It shoots water at heat."
Leo stifled a laugh, flicking Celia's forehead.
"Still need some experience, huh?"
"We're the same age! Don't lecture me about experience!"
Rubbing her forehead, face red, Celia yelled.
Meanwhile, the kraken attacked again.
Celia's eyes blazed.
"You damn squid! I'll make calamari out of you!"
Whoosh—!
Her sword traced a dazzling arc.
Swish-swish-swish!
Chopped kraken tentacles scattered.
"How's that?" Celia turned, smug.
Leo smiled, swinging his sword.
Boom—!
With a deafening gust, his strike shredded the kraken's arm into finer pieces than Celia's.
"Grr! I won't lose!"
Sparks flew from Celia's eyes, provoked.
"Nice swordplay."
Chloe raised her staff, chanting runes.
Crackle—!
"Icicle."
Ice particles gathered, forming a massive icicle.
As Chloe released the spell, it shot forward.
Thud—! Crack—! Shatter!
The spell exploded, freezing and shattering the kraken's tentacle.
"Hoho! Why sweat up front like knights? I'll handle it smartly from back—Eek?!"
Smirking, Chloe became the kraken's target.
Caught off guard by its speed, she froze.
Leo grabbed her collar, yanking her back.
"Wizards don't show off up front."
Slash—!
He sliced the incoming tentacle.
"Krakens react to mana. Cast carefully."
"G-Got it."
The panicked freshmen regained their composure, fighting back.
The kraken was a high-tier monster, but Lumern students weren't pushovers.
Watching from behind, Ain's lips curled.
'This year's freshmen are exceptional.'
Despite scolding them, Ain was deeply satisfied.
Lumeria Lake was infamous for its aquatic monsters.
Their attacks were practically an annual tradition.
Lumern's entrants were all prodigies.
Passing its entrance exam proved their skill.
With talent, lineage, and credentials, freshmen often grew arrogant.
'That mindset won't survive Lumern's classes.'
They didn't realize they'd merely met the minimum standard to study here.
They needed a wake-up call, which was why Lumern allowed these attacks.
Of course, they weren't left defenseless.
The ship's hull, the biggest risk, remained intact during the kraken's assault.
The freshmen, too busy fighting, didn't notice.
'As expected, the top rankers shine.'
Gauging their skills, Ain's gaze landed on Leo.
'Impressive.'
A glint sparked in Ain's eyes.
Leo's swordsmanship was clean, precise.
He anticipated the kraken's moves, effortlessly slicing tentacles with fluid grace.
'Worth remembering.'
Clearly a Knight Studies hopeful.
Satisfied, Ain smiled, spotting a standout student.
***
The freshmen barely repelled the kraken, but aquatic monster attacks didn't stop.
The earlier party atmosphere felt like a dream as a monster parade unfolded.
An hour later, the freshmen were a mess.
Uniforms were drenched, bodies sweat-soaked, faces haggard.
They fought frantically against relentless waves.
"I can't fight anymore! My mana's drained!"
Chloe sprawled on the deck, shouting.
"Ugh… Anyone got mana potions left?"
Carl glanced around, but no one answered.
"Huff—Huff—"
Celia, breathing heavily, shot Leo a glance.
'That stamina freak!'
Leo stood vigilant by the water, showing no fatigue.
How did someone their age have such endless energy?
"Phew—!"
Gritting her teeth, Celia took a deep breath and joined him.
Then—
"The dock's in sight!"
"This nightmare's finally over!"
"Wooo!"
Cheers erupted across the deck.
No news could be sweeter to the exhausted students.
Soon, the ship docked, and they disembarked, relieved.
Waiting at the dock was a petite woman in a suit, wearing glasses.
"Thank goodness! No major incidents, it seems!"
The students inwardly seethed.
'No incidents? We were attacked by monsters!'
But no one dared complain.
She was likely a Lumern professor.
"Professor Ain, thank you for escorting the freshmen. I'll take over."
"Understood."
Nodding, Ain addressed the students.
"I'm teaching first-year Knight Studies this year."
Knight Studies students tensed.
"Some of you will take my class."
Glancing at Leo and others, Ain grinned.
"Want to reach the pinnacle? Join my lessons!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood, Professor Ain!"
Knight Studies students shouted back.
Satisfied, Ain's expression turned cryptic.
"And listen to your escort teacher."
With that, he left.
"I'm Artian Nier, teaching first-year Summoning Studies."
Adjusting her glasses, she smiled kindly, introducing herself.
"Artian Nier? Never heard of her," Celia muttered, tilting her head.
Lumern professors were typically renowned in their fields.
But Artian Nier was unfamiliar.
"She's pretty famous in the central region," Carl said.
"Who is she?"
"A spirit summoner, I heard."
"Spirit summoner?"
Celia's eyes widened.
Summoning had three branches:
Spirit summoning, contracting with spirits.
Beast summoning, controlling magical beasts.
And spirit summoning, calling fragments of heroic souls.
Spirit summoning was an exceptionally rare gift.
'One of Lisinas's specialties.'
A talent even Kyle, an All-Class, couldn't master due to its innate nature.
"Shall we head to the entrance ceremony?"
Artian smiled gently.
The students protested.
"Professor! Can't we change first?"
"Yeah! We can't attend the ceremony like this!"
Unlike with Ain, they voiced complaints loudly.
Mostly noble students.
They'd been intimidated by Ain, the Knight of the Frozen Sea.
But Artian, lesser-known and delicate-looking, faced their immediate grievances.
"W-Well, the schedule…"
"My family would never allow me to attend an important event like this!"
"Exactly! We earned our place at Lumern! This treatment's absurd!"
"Right! I'll file a formal complaint through my family!"
"P-Please, everyone?!"
Gentle by nature, Artian shrank under their barrage, unable to respond.
Emboldened, the students grew louder.
"We should stop them," Celia said, frowning.
Leo smirked. "No need."
"What?"
Artian bowed her head.
Then—
"You damn brats! Think I'm a pushover because I've been patient? Freshmen daring to mouth off to a professor?!"
Lifting her head, Artian unleashed a tirade.
Gone was her meek demeanor—her eyes blazed with menace.
The shouting students froze.
One boy, slow to catch on, protested, "Even if you're a professor, that language is unacceptab—"
"Look at this guy? Still not getting it?"
Grab—!
"Wha—What?!"
Artian, with a feral grin, seized his collar and lifted him.
He towered over most freshmen, but Artian showed no strain.
Golden aura radiated from her.
"Gasp! A-Aura?"
"A Dual Class?"
Students gasped.
The boy's face paled.
Artian hurled him toward the lake.
"Aaaagh!"
Splash—! Flail—Flail!
He thrashed in the water.
Artian warned, "Next one who defies me won't get off so easy—!"
Before finishing, her demeanor shifted.
"Troublesome."
Now cold, she sighed and waved her hand.
Golden mana surged.
Using magic, she pulled the student from the water.
The students gaped.
She was a Summoning Studies professor yet wielded aura and magic!
"As expected," Leo murmured.
"You know about that power?" Celia asked urgently.
"She's channeling heroic spirits' souls. Her personality shifts come from the spirits she's bound to."
"Necromancy? That's a legendary skill!"
Celia gasped, awed by the rarest form of spirit summoning.
No wonder Ain warned them to listen.
"S-Sorry, sorry! My contracted spirits are a bit hot-tempered!"
Back to her original self, Artian apologized frantically, but the students only watched warily.
They realized this lesser-known professor was a powerhouse they couldn't challenge.
Smiling brightly, Artian said, "Anyway, everyone! Let's head to the entrance ceremony!"
"Y-Yes…"
The students, cowed, replied weakly.