The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student-Chapter 27: The Game of Bastera

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The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student

[Original — Yerona]

[TL — MiT7]

[PR — Spades]

[QC — Lumi]

Chapter 27 — The Game of Bastera

——————

Male students, changed into gym clothes, headed to the training grounds.

The vast training field hosted Class 5 and other classes with overlapping Combat Studies schedules.

Thanks to the grounds' massive size, no class's activities overlapped.

Sena stood before the students gathered on the dirt field, with Halind observing from behind.

"In Combat Studies, we train to apply your abilities effectively. Any questions?"

Iliana raised her hand.

"Yes, Iliana?"

"What exactly is ability application training? Is it different from major-specific training?"

"It is. Let's take magic as an example. Iliana, create a Fireball."

Iliana, aiming for a Sword Mage dual-class, easily conjured a fist-sized Fireball.

"How would you maximize its efficiency, Iliana?"

"Hm! I'd pour more mana into the spell formula, then add a Damage Boost formula and a Spell Duplication formula!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Fireball grew larger and split into two.

"This maximizes the Fireball's efficiency!"

"That's it?"

"Huh? Um... maybe add another formula..."

Flustered, Iliana trailed off.

Sena smiled kindly. "It's okay. Next, Chelsea?"

"Yes, Professor."

"How else could you maximize the Fireball's efficiency?"

"Sorry, I can't think of anything beyond what Iliana said."

"Alright. Next..."

Magic majors subtly avoided Sena's gaze.

If even a top magic student couldn't answer, how could they?

"Leo?"

"Yes."

"How would you maximize the Fireball's efficiency?"

"Control. Power's useless if you can't hit the target."

"Correct! Five bonus points for Leo."

The simple answer left students deflated.

"You all focus more on boosting power than control during training, so most of you lack precision," Sena said.

Students looked puzzled at the idea their control was lacking.

They used their abilities daily—how could they be imprecise?

"Here's a challenge," Sena said, summoning a single Sylph, a wind spirit.

"Anyone who catches this Sylph gets extra points. Use all your abilities."

Students eagerly tackled the Sylph-catching challenge.

But no one caught the Sylph, which wasn't fast nor emitted strong winds.

Its uncanny movements dodged every attempt.

Soon, multiple students rushed it together, but still failed.

"Huff! Huff! That's no Sylph!" Carl collapsed, panting.

"What is it then?" Chelsea, slumping, retorted.

"How should I know?!"

The Sylph, floating midair, put hands on hips, striking a smug pose.

Whoosh!

A blaze of aura flames surged.

Leo, silent until now, charged the Sylph.

The Sylph, with a relaxed expression, moved to escape.

Leo accelerated, closing the gap, and reached out.

The Sylph darted away.

Aura flames erupted from Leo's hand, blocking the Sylph's path.

As if anticipating this, the Sylph spun midair.

But the wall-like aura morphed into a rope, chasing the Sylph.

Caught off guard, the Sylph panicked.

It suddenly sped up, soaring high to escape the rope.

"Oops, Sylph! That's cheating!" Sena called.

The Sylph looked apologetic, having used more power than allowed in its surprise.

"Still, excellent work, Leo," Sena said, clapping.

"As you saw, Leo didn't use excessive force. Combat Studies trains you to apply such techniques in battle."

Class 5 now understood Sena's point about their poor control.

Watching from behind, Halind smirked. 'No wonder Ain's drooling over him.'

Leo's aura control was likely unmatched among first-years.

"Hmph, not elegant enough."

Crackle!

A golden aura flash, sparking with electricity, engulfed the Sylph.

Thud!

Before it could react, a hand seized it.

Tap!

Landing, a male student, Duran, glared at Leo.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"As expected, Duran! Truly top-ranker skill!" a middle-aged professor said.

"Huh? Strange. Halind, Lumern's most respected professor, your class couldn't catch the Sylph, yet my Class 1 student did it effortlessly," the flamboyantly dressed professor continued.

Halind, looking tired, eyed him. "Aren't you teaching, Sedjen?"

Sedjen, feigning an apology with exaggerated gestures, said, "Oh! I forgot Class 5 has the lowest average scores. My bad for the rude remark."

Halind sighed.

"Of course I'm teaching!" Sedjen spread his arms. "Class 1 challenges Class 5 to a class duel! You won't dodge, right? Though I won't blame you if you do—our elegant Class 1 has three top rankers!" He laughed heartily, pointing to three students, including Duran, at the front.

Leo addressed two of them. "Hey, elegant and lovely Class 1 students."

Celia and Chloe, heads bowed, snapped up, glaring daggers at Leo.

Leo didn't flinch.

"Assistant Professor, why's that professor acting like that?" Chelsea asked, baffled.

"That's Professor Sedjen, Halind's peer from their teaching days," Sena explained.

"Isn't he as famous as Halind?" a student asked.

"One of Lumern's most renowned professors."

Unlike Halind's notorious reputation, Sedjen was sought after by students.

Yet graduates ranked Halind as the most respected professor, with Sedjen second, fueling Sedjen's rivalry, Sena noted.

Class 5 watched Sedjen provoke Halind with every word.

'Halind doesn't even blink.'

'Sedjen seems kind of pathetic.'

Unable to stand Sedjen clinging to an unmoved Halind, Sena said, "Professor Sedjen, it's the first class, so a sudden duel might be..."

"Oh! Sena Tilia... I mean, Assistant Professor Sena!" Sedjen approached, arms wide. "It's been ages! I was so worried! Seeing you as an assistant professor warms my heart!"

"Thank you for your concern," Sena said, smiling awkwardly.

"Anyway, Sena, first class or not, it's fine! Lumern students face sudden challenges all the time!"

"Still..."

"Our proud Class 1 is always ready for a duel! Right?"

"Absolutely!" Class 1 roared.

"So elegant!" Sedjen beamed.

Carl, snickering, approached Class 1, using his charm from trial classes to tease. "Truly elegant, Class 1!"

"Wanna die?"

"Stop mocking us!"

Celia, Chloe, and others from Class 1 growled at Carl.

But Carl's teasing persisted.

"What event for the duel?" Halind asked.

"Heh, you're not backing down! Sure you're okay? Your Class 5 will lose!" Sedjen taunted.

"I don't care about winning or losing," Halind said flatly. "What matters is students learn from the outcome."

"Then your students will learn defeat!"

"Even defeat teaches how to rise. And..." Halind's lips curled. "They might learn the victor's poise instead."

Class 5 students, moved by Halind's retort, whispered, "Sena was right!"

"He talks tough, but he really cares about us!"

"Respect, Professor!"

Sedjen grinned wickedly. "Fine, let's bet. The losing class cleans the first-year classroom building's bathrooms for a month. The losing professor buys drinks for the winning class!"

"Fine," Halind said.

Class 5 erupted in protests.

"No way!"

"Accepting that on the spot?"

"Hey, lovely ladies?" Carl, sweating, pleaded with Class 1. "We're friends, right? Maybe aim for a tie?"

"We're winning," Celia said, coldly brushing back her hair.

"Elegantly," Chloe added, cracking her knuckles with a malicious smile.

"Leo! Chelsea! You're our only hope! Save our class!" Carl wailed, clinging to them.

Class 5's only contenders against top rankers were Leo, the freshman representative, and Chelsea, the western exam's second ranker.

"No plans to lose," Leo said calmly.

"Lewallins don't learn defeat," Chelsea huffed, crossing her arms.

"So, what event decides the duel?" Halind asked.

"Heh, there's a traditional Combat Studies event, isn't there?" Sedjen smirked.

"Of course," Halind sighed softly.

Tension rose between Classes 5 and 1.

"No way... that?" a student muttered.

"Didn't expect to do it ourselves."

"I've done it before," another said.

Students swallowed hard.

Only Leo looked puzzled. "Pretty intense event, huh?"

"No joke. It's an official event for inter-academy tournaments," Chelsea said, voice tight.

If it was a matter of school pride in tournaments, it had to be fierce.

Clap!

Sedjen clapped, and Class 1's assistant professor handed him something.

A fist-sized transparent ball.

"One of Lumern's Combat Studies traditions! We settle it with Bastera!"

'All that buildup for a ball game?' Leo thought, dumbfounded.