The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student-Chapter 34: Midterms and Motives

KakaoPage Originals

The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student

[Original — Yerona]

[TL — MiT7]

[PR — Spades]

[QC — Lumi]

Chapter 34 — Midterms and Motives

——————

"What? You saw the Wisdom King?!"

"Huge! Total game-changer! So that's Lysinas's Hero Record page?"

The Hero Studies incident sent the entire first-year class into a frenzy.

Every Lumern professor was summoned, and classes were replaced with self-study.

That's how serious this event was.

Few records remained of the first great heroes in the Hero Record.

Discovering a new fragment featuring Lysinas was monumental.

No wonder Lumern was in an uproar.

While other students buzzed, Leo was lost in thought.

'Why is my Hero Record so uniquely messed up?'

The hero world likely formed because Leo, its central figure, touched the Hero Record.

But this was starkly different from the entrance exam.

'When entering a hero's world, the conqueror gets a message identifying the hero. But this time...'

[Hero Record Open. ■■'s World. Chapter: ■■-■■■]

He couldn't tell whose world it was.

'Even when Lysinas called my name, I couldn't hear it.'

It felt like someone deliberately erased Kyle's name.

'There's a clear reason my Hero Record didn't survive.'

Leo narrowed his eyes.

'The Hero Record was originally one, right?'

Now split into five, the Hero Record was once a single, complete archive.

Long ago, some event shattered it into five, scattering and losing many pages worldwide.

'What if someone intentionally destroyed the Hero Record?'

The Hero Record passed down heroic power.

It literally nurtured new heroes.

'If someone didn't want new heroes to rise...'

Leo felt a chill.

'Erebos.'

"Leo oppa?" Chelsea's voice snapped him back.

"Why the scary face?" she asked.

"It's nothing."

'I need to investigate why the Hero Record was split.'

***

A month passed since the Hero Studies incident.

The initial excitement faded.

Lysinas's Hero Record was a massive deal, but first-years could do little about it.

Students pestered professors with questions, but got no answers.

With midterms approaching, the incident slipped from their focus.

Professor Ren's Magic Theory class.

"As you know, midterms are coming," Ren said.

Students tensed.

It was his first mention of midterms.

They sensed it instinctively.

'He's about to talk about the practical exam.'

Lumern exams comprised written and practical tests.

Major subjects weighted practicals heavily.

Students were eager for practical exam details.

Ren picked up chalk and stood at the blackboard.

The chalk's scrape echoed.

Students began to murmur.

"Original. Or unique magic. That's your midterm practical assignment," Ren said, tossing the chalk into its box and striding to the podium's center.

"Original magic vividly showcases a mage's individuality. In today's formula-driven era, mages shy away from originals. They're inefficient."

Smirking at the students, Ren continued, "But I believe original magic is essential for a mage. Spells breaking from standard formulas are hard to counter. They can be a trump card in a pinch."

Students' eyes gleamed.

Trump card.

That phrase ignited the young mages.

"Let's discuss famous unique magics in history. Who can name one?" Ren asked.

Hands shot up.

"Chelsea," Ren called.

"Lubert Lewallin's magic," she said.

"Correct. The Lewallin founder had powerful unique magic," Ren said.

Chelsea sat, beaming.

Students began presenting eagerly.

Typically, Ren took a few answers and moved on, but today he called on many, as if seeking a specific response.

Noticing this, students participated more actively.

Leo raised his hand.

"Leo! Go ahead!" Ren said, his tone rising slightly.

Despite Ren's keen interest, Leo rarely answered in class.

Standing, Leo said, "Star Magic."

Students looked puzzled.

Star Magic.

It referred to the elves' unique magic system.

Undeniably powerful.

But all elves used Star Magic.

It hardly counted as unique.

Yet Chloe, Abad, and Chelsea froze.

Ren exhaled sharply. "Correct! That's the answer I wanted!"

Clapping fervently, he explained, "Star Magic, now a standard elven system! But it was adapted so all elven mages could learn it!"

Raising his voice, Ren said, "You all know Star Magic's power!"

Star Magic.

Crafted for elven mana traits, it was exclusive to elves.

That's why other races struggled with it.

A realm of instinct and talent.

When Leo used elven magic, the Magic Department flipped.

"But!" Ren said, clenching his fist. "The Star Magic elves use today is a mere shadow of Luna, the Nebula's Progenitor's original magic. Only one in history wielded true Star Magic!"

'Two, actually,' Leo thought, smirking.

"The founder of Star Magic, Luna, the Nebula's Progenitor," Ren declared.

Magic students clenched their fists.

"Now, do you see why you must pursue original magic?" Ren asked.

For hero-aspiring mages, Luna was revered.

Her magic's original roots underscored the need for unique spells.

Ding-dong-dang-dong.

The bell signaled class's end.

"That's it for today," Ren said.

Students packed up, diving into debates about original magic.

"Original, huh? What a headache," Carl said, scratching his head.

Original magic was a creative endeavor.

Crafting new spells was no small feat.

"Leo, you've got three practical exams. Gonna be rough," Carl said, looking sympathetic.

Leo smiled. "Gotta work hard."

'I've got plenty of unique magic from my past life.'

The exam was a boon for Leo.

As Leo and Carl left the classroom, a voice called, "Leo."

Leo turned to see Chloe, clutching a spellbook.

Normally, Leo, Carl, and Chloe took magic classes together.

But for the past month, Chloe sat apart.

Not due to a fight or bad blood.

They chatted and hung out after class.

But during lessons, she kept her distance.

'She's fiercely competitive with me, right?' Leo thought.

"Wanna grab lunch?" Leo asked, smiling.

Chloe took a deep breath and stepped closer.

Her black grimoire caught Leo's eye.

'Not a textbook. A personal grimoire?'

"Leo, I'm going to beat you in this practical exam," Chloe said firmly.

Carl blinked, startled. "Hey! What's with winning and losing among friends? And Leo being better? You're the top-ranker—"

"No," Chloe said, gripping her grimoire. "Leo's better at magic formulas. That's undeniable."

Her eyes dimmed briefly. "In magic formulas, I have to be the best. I can't lose."

Gritting her teeth, she locked eyes with Leo. "So I'll beat you this time. Promise me you'll give your all as a mage. I won't forgive you if you slack on magic for other majors."

"Got it. I'll do that," Leo said.

"Leo!" Carl exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Carl. It's not a fight," Leo said, serious. "Dodging her challenge would be disrespectful."

"Thanks, Leo. I'll head out," Chloe said, smiling and leaving.

Carl smacked his lips. "Youth, huh?"

***

As midterms neared, first-year practical exam details emerged.

Knight Studies featured sparring exams.

During midterm week, Knight Studies students would duel, ranked by wins.

It was the earliest practical exam.

On the final day, the top eight would compete in a tournament.

Summoning Studies had two exams.

One was a race on flying beasts; the other tested spirit control.

Magic Studies involved presenting original magic to external judges at a showcase.

Cramming wasn't an option.

These exams evaluated consistent effort.

The grand Combat and Hero Studies exams were joint.

"Knew it," Carl said, unsurprised.

"The goal for Combat and Hero Studies practicals is conquering a hero's world," he said, pointing to a bulletin board. "On exam day, they'll randomly form teams to tackle a hero's world. Talk about brutal!"

Conquering hero worlds demanded teamwork.

Pre-assigned teams could strategize efficiently.

Unknown teammates meant preparing for every scenario.

A comprehensive test for hero cadets.

"No coasting, huh?" Iliana teased.

"Who's coasting?" Carl snapped.

"Right. Carl's not even coasting—he's dead weight!" Chelsea chimed.

"Chelsea!" Carl groaned as Iliana and Chelsea laughed, running off.

"Carl, this exam might be perfect for you," Leo said.

"Huh?" Carl asked.

"You're aiming to be a supporter, right?"

Carl's eyes lit up.

"No matter your team, your role's clear," Leo said.

"Right. I just need to prep thoroughly to support any team!" Carl said.

A supporter's presence was critical in battle.

Rather than mimicking mages, Carl could shine by focusing on support.

"Thanks, Leo! You showed me the way!" Carl said.

"Not thrilled about your support, though," Tade teased.

"I'm a bit worried too," Nella added.

"Tade! Nella! You too?" Carl wailed, clutching his head at his friends' distrust.