[Translator – Aine ]
[Proofreader – Ash ]
Chapter 108
The audience cheered for Leo, who showed overwhelming skills.
‘I didn’t mean to stand out.’
Leo sighed as he looked at the blood on his body.
A little while ago, the Cyclops exploded and died, so he was unintentionally covered in its blood and flesh.
Leo received cheers and left the arena under the guidance of the hosts.
The place they were guided to was the preparation room within the Colosseum.
When he entered, the candidates who had finished the Demonic Beast Carnival first were buzzing.
And when they saw Leo covered in blood, they stopped.
Since they all finished the Demonic Beast Carnival and were watching their competitors, they had just seen Leo in action.
Everyone looked at Leo with wary eyes.
From the Azonia candidates’ perspective, Leo was a strong competitor.
“Is there somewhere I can wash up?”
The staff member who guided Leo said, “You can take a shower when you go to your room.”
“Where would my room be?”
“Before going to their rooms, prospective students must listen to the instructor who is hosting this entrance exam.”
‘I think I’ll stand out looking like this, though.’
Leo’s current appearance was even more noticeable because there was no one else covered in blood as thoroughly as Leo.
‘I guess I should just quietly stay in the corner.’
Leo went to a corner of the large preparation room and sat alone.
‘So that was transforming, huh…? I didn’t even think about it.’
He looked down at his hands, remembering the situation a moment ago.
‘It’s really surprising that a transforming effect can be achieved with just a polymorph.’
Arron’s breathing method, now called [Dragon’s Breath].
Of course, it was very different from the original version that Arron used, so the ability to transform freely had disappeared in the more modern teachings of the technique.
However, the polymorph Leo used retained that transforming ability.
‘Well, in my case, there was no significant change in my body.’
Polymorphing was a sorcery that changed appearances, not a sorcery that changed the fundamentals of one’s constitution.
Although he appeared to be a mixed-race beastman and used his breath to activate transforming abilities, Leo was still a human being.
That could not be changed about him.
The only thing that had become transformed was the external appearance; Leo’s body itself could not be strengthened through this technique.
Therefore, the aftereffects of using Arron’s Dragon’s Breath to its limit were bound to remain the same.
While Leo was thinking about all this, Ar was watching Leo from afar.
‘No matter how much I think about it, I know I’m not mistaken!’
As Ar, who saw Leo’s transformation for a split second in the arena, she couldn’t help but be concerned about Leo.
Beastmen had been continuously researching transformation for a long time.
Transformation was the most powerful weapon given to the beastman race.
Being able to transform freely was one of the beastmen’s greatest wishes.
However, there was only one beastman in history who was able to do that.
‘Arron the Brave!’
Ar perked her ears and tail and made cat-like eyes.
‘Even the fact that Arron once transformed freely remains only in literature!’
Among Arron’s Hero Records that currently remained, there were no Hero Records related to that ‘battle.’
Even among the beastmen, opinions were divided on whether it was real or fake.
Of course, Ar believed that Arron was capable of transforming freely.
‘There’s nothing Arron can’t do!’
To a girl who had heard stories of Arron’s heroics since she was young, Arron was a Great Hero who could do anything.
She even inherited her name from Arron.
‘I have to ask!’
Ar approached Leo, who was sitting in the corner of the preparation room.
“Black Rabbit, I want to ask you…”
“Hey.”
However, someone approached Leo before Ar.
Looking at the beast in front of him, Leo stood up and raised his head.
A muscular wolfbeast boy, well over 180 cm tall, was looking down at Leo with his arms crossed.
“What’s the matter?”
“That was pretty good.”
The boy looked at Leo critically and grinned.
“I thought you were an absolute coward, just stuck in a corner. But in the end, I was impressed.”
The boy with gray hair and wild golden eyes introduced himself with a belligerent smile.
“My name is Dion Den, and you?”
“Kyle.”
“Kyle? The same name as the Hero of the Beginning. How unusual.”
“What business do you have with me?”
“Well, it’s simple. I was worried there would only be weaklings, but I’m relieved there are people as talented as you.”
Dion smiled, his eyes sparkling.
“Thanks to you, I don’t think my school life will be boring.”
“You muscle-brained idiot. You’re talking nonsense again.”
Ar approached with her arms crossed and a pitiful expression on her face.
“What? You know him?”
Dion made a sad expression.
“Your body looks as frail as ever.”
“Hmph! There is no need to stretch your brain muscles more than necessary. No need to be jealous of my flexible and beautiful figure.”
“Okay. As ugly as always.”
“Who are you calling ugly?”
“I’m not interested in you. You’re my childhood friend. I know your strength well. I want to compete with new strong players.”
The grinning boy was a very beast-like wolfman who valued nothing more than strength.
“Then let’s talk more next time! I have some business with the Black Rabbit!”
“With me?”
“Yes, you! I have something to ask you!”
“What?”
“You!”
“Wait a moment! I was talking to him first.”
“So what? You can talk to him next time.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I refuse to let you cut in line!”
“I knew him before you did.”
“What does that matter! Follow the order!”
Looking at the two beastmen who growled at each other without taking a single step back, Leo muttered, “Well you two get along well.”
“I don’t get along with a mutt who only knows how to fight!”
“Do you think I’d be friends with such a stupid cat?!”
“Everyone, gather together.”
Someone came into the preparation room and gathered the candidates.
“Come on, let’s go.”
When Leo went to gather, Ar, who missed the right time to talk, kicked Dion.
“I missed my chance to talk because of you! You’re no help!”
“Hmph! He has the composure of a strong man! I like him even more!”
“Are you ignoring me?”
“When the semester starts, the world will focus on us, not Lumene!”
“Don’t ignore me!”
She hit Dion hard on the back for not listening.
“I didn’t even feel anything. Only your hand will hurt.”
In fact, even if she hadn’t hit him with her bare hand, the only pain that would be felt between the two of them would be the recoil of the hit on her, due to the rigidity of Dion’s strong muscles.
Seeing Dion laughing at him, Ar made a cold expression and set out her nails.
Dion, his face crumpled, grabbed Ar’s wrist and blocked the attack.
“You damn cat!”
“What! You damn wolf!”
With her eyes wide open, Ar violently pushed Dion’s face with her foot.
“You two over there! What are you doing? Get over here!”
In the end, the two ended up getting a scolding from the assistant instructor.
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – Aine]
[Proofreader – Ash]
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* * *
After the Demonic Beast Carnival ended, the candidates were given a general explanation of the next day’s cross-desert marathon.
The rules were simple.
They would be starting from Azrek, crossing the great desert, and arriving at Azonia in the middle of the desert.
This was the requirement for admission.
At first glance, it was very simple.
However, crossing the desert between Azonia and Azrek was not easy.
“The Great Desert of Azrek is one of the harshest regions on the continent.”
Candidates for admission looked with envy at Verga, the man who informed those inside the preparation room about the cross-desert marathon.
The man who was currently the most recognized among the beastman heroes.
He was literally a mighty hero who was active on the front lines not long ago.
“Let me give you just one piece of advice.”
Everyone swallowed their saliva and looked at Verga.
“Don’t do the foolish thing of mistaking stupidity for bravery.”
Those words created tension among the students.
Some people were gritting their teeth.
“The proctors said this is my last chance…”
“I barely made it through the free lectures, but now you’re telling me to give up?”
“How did I get here?”
Like Lumene, Azonia also had an age limit for admission.
And there were many retakers here who met the age limit.
To them, telling them to ‘give up’ was the same as telling them to give up their dream of becoming a hero.
“And those given letters of recommendation for admission, please come forward.”
At those words, five boys and girls stepped forward.
All the eyes of the students who passed the free lecture turned to them.
‘We worked so hard to get through the free lectures, yet, all of these guys…!’
There was a decisive difference between those who passed the free lectures and those who simply sent a letter of recommendation.
Their acknowledged and overwhelming skills that proved them to be above those attending the free lectures.
However, even though they knew this, from the perspective of the students who put the time and effort into passing the free lectures, they could not help but feel disappointed about the recommended students.
In particular, the fact that they all came from famous and prestigious families made the other applicants feel even more unsatisfied.
Meanwhile, Verga crossed his arms and looked down at the applicants who had received letters of recommendation.
‘Ah, father! As expected, this feeling of intimidation is no joke! I think you gave me more strength today…’
‘As expected of Verga’s offspring! What a strong crowd she is up against!’
His daughter, Ar, who he had nurtured since birth, was also very nervous.
The same was true for the other two beastmen.
Only Leo was looking at Verga with a calm face.
Verga, who was staring at Leo, said, “Those of you who have not attended free lectures must not yet be friendly with other candidates. So please, introduce yourselves.”
With those words, the five candidates began to introduce themselves one by one.
The first to introduce herself was a foxbeast wearing glasses.
“My name is Stea Lual. My specialty is sorcery. Please take care of me.”
“Late Vega. I am an elementalist.”
The bearbeast smiled confidently.
“I am Ar Tune. Let’s all do our best.”
“Kyle. Please take care of me.”
Several students looked amazed at Kyle’s introduction.
The names of Great Heroes were so highly regarded that although children were sometimes named after a few letters from their names, the same names themselves were never used.
Moreover, since Kyle was treated more as a character from a fairy tale, no one ever used that name.
After the introduction of the four recommended candidates for admission, everyone’s eyes finally turned to Dion.
Dion smiled coldly, showing his fangs.
“Why dontcha just go ahead and give up now?”
The faces of the admission candidates hardened.
Several assistant instructors were shocked, and Verga narrowed his eyes.
‘Does Dion have the ability to say things like that?’
Verga liked the strong.
But they couldn’t just be strong.
The first condition recognized by Verga.
It was about taking responsibility for their own words.
With these words, Dion had essentially turned all the candidates who passed the free lectures into enemies.
Ar looked at her childhood friend and shook her head as if she couldn’t stop him.
After everyone was introduced, Verga nodded.
“Good. Does anyone have any questions?”
No one raised their hand to that question.
“Then disperse. If you go through that hallway, you will be assigned your room for the night.”
At Verga’s words, the students who passed the free lectures left the preparation room.
Everyone coldly turned away from the recommendation candidates.
Seeing that, the remaining candidates looked at each other, sighed lightly, and shrugged.
They expected this treatment, so nobody showed any signs of displeasure.
Just like that, everyone left the preparation room.
Except for Ar, waiting for Leo at the entrance.
“Hey, Kyle.”
“Yes.”
“Care to have a word with me?”
‘A word? What?’
Right as Verga, their instructor, who could be considered as highly as any professor at Lumene, called him aside, Leo looked a little nervous.
Meanwhile, Ar was impressed.
‘Will this take a long time?’
Still thinking that the timing was off, Ar headed to her room.
‘I’ll catch him in his room later, I guess.’
Ar wanted to know about Leo’s secret somehow.
After the students left, the assistant instructors had also left the preparation room.
When the two of them were alone, Verga said with a serious expression.
“Hey Kyle. I just want to ask, just in case.”
“Yes.”
‘Have they found out that I go to Lumene?’
For once, Leo was nervous.
“Are you by any chance Reina’s son?”
