The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student-Chapter 39: Wings of Retribution

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The Legendary Hero is an Academy Honor Student

[Original — Yerona]

[TL — MiT7]

[PR — Spades]

[QC — Lumi]

Chapter 39 — Wings of Retribution

——————

"Haha! Serves them right!"

"What year rep? What southern top-ranker? Can't even start, dead last for sure!"

The Summoning Studies students who orchestrated the group sabotage cackled.

"Hey, Eliza, feels good, right?" Liu, a Class 3 student leading the scheme, snickered, addressing Eliza ahead.

They were among the top-performing first-year Summoning students, forming the race's lead group.

Eliza, at the forefront, responded, "I'm not pleased."

"What?" Liu asked.

"I can beat Leo Flove anytime. Same with Woreden Tyden," Eliza said, glaring reproachfully. "Ganging up like this only makes them stand out more. And what will people think of our department?"

"Haha, well, they'll still be humiliated—" Liu began.

"Think before you act next time. Focus on the exam," Eliza said coldly, turning away and soaring higher.

Liu scowled. 'Arrogant girl! Acting superior because of her fancy family!'

He snorted inwardly. 'With this lead, even Woreden can't catch up. Besides Eliza, I'm the best at handling flying beasts! I'll coast to second. And I contracted a new beast!'

Just before the exam, Liu had lucked out in Lumeria City, buying a summoning catalyst. 'That clueless merchant didn't know its value! I can't control it yet, but... if I summon it at the end and beat Eliza, first is mine! Let's see you act high and mighty then, Eliza!'

"Hey, Liu, someone's catching up!" a female Summoning student said, puzzled.

They thought they had an untouchable lead, yet someone was closing in.

"What? Who—huh? Chen Xia?" Liu gasped.

Chen Xia zoomed toward them at incredible speed, but her griffon-riding stance was odd—she crouched on the saddle, standing on both feet.

"What's with that stance?" a student asked.

"She caught up like that? Impressive," another said.

"We slowed down, that's all. Speed up, and she's done," a third added.

Spirit power wasn't just for summoning—it enhanced beasts. With their griffons boosted, Chen Xia couldn't keep up.

"Still, she might pull something," Liu said, grinning. "Let's knock her out for good."

Teamwork was allowed in the beast race, including ganging up on strong competitors.

Eliza, glancing back, narrowed her eyes. "Hmph. Running would've been smarter, but she's picking the hard path."

Smirking, she watched like a spectator.

"Eastern top-ranker, my foot. Annoying," a female Summoning student sneered, summoning a spirit.

"I'll make sure she doesn't finish and humiliate her! Go!"

A wind spirit shot like a bullet toward Chen Xia, precariously balanced on her saddle.

Sensing it, Chen Xia crouched lower.

Whoosh!

Her griffon surged upward.

As the Summoning students faltered, Chen Xia's griffon flipped, saddle facing down.

Hanging upside down, she kicked off the saddle, releasing the reins.

"W-What?" the attacking female student gasped.

She hadn't expected the rider to attack directly.

Redirecting her wind spirit midair, Chen Xia smiled brightly and launched a kick.

Caught off-guard, the student was knocked off, screaming as she plummeted. "Aaaah! That's a foul!"

"No aura used, so it's fine," Chen Xia said with her usual friendly smile, grabbing the panicked griffon's reins to calm it.

"Damn you, Chen Xia!" Liu shouted.

"Hello, Liu," she said.

"Not bad, but look at your situation! You made a bad call!" Liu said.

The initial surprise worked, but now they knew her tactics, they had counters.

"Sure, I'm at a disadvantage in aerial combat," Chen Xia said. "But I'm not your only enemy."

"What?" Liu asked.

"Someone's pissed off about your little stunt," she said, pointing behind with a smile.

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted from the rear.

"What the—?" Liu stammered.

Boom! Boom!

Explosions chained.

Dropouts plummeted in the distance.

"Seems Woreden's the type to pay back what he gets," Chen Xia said, waving and leaping off the griffon.

Her waiting griffon caught her mid-fall, soaring high.

"Damn it! Grab her and—" Liu began.

Screech!

A griffon's cry cut him off.

Turning, Liu saw Woreden's griffon speeding toward them.

Catching the lead group in moments, Woreden grinned. "Thanks for the gift, losers."

Fwoosh!

Huge flames gathered around him.

"Here's my return," he said.

"Scatter!" Liu shouted.

Boom!

A massive explosion engulfed the area.

***

Dead last, Leo crossed the enclosure.

He approached the final griffon.

Growl!

The griffon, highly alert, made Leo tilt his head. 'These race griffons are managed by Lumern, aren't they?'

Tamed beasts didn't show hostility toward humans.

Then Leo noticed the griffon's folded wing. 'Injured?'

Examining it, he frowned. 'Not from griffon fights. Someone did this on purpose.'

Recalling the group sabotage, he clicked his tongue. "Some people play dirty."

Smirking, Leo approached.

Roar!

The griffon reacted fiercely, but Leo didn't back down.

Roar!

"Oh! Leo's pushing too hard! Even a low-tier beast like a griffon can be tough to tame when it's that wary! He's rushing and making mistakes!" Runba commented.

Celia, watching, stomped. "Ugh! Why's he being so reckless?"

Lis, stroking his chin, said, "He's got a plan."

Roar! Roar!

Leo grabbed the reins of the thrashing griffon.

Screech!

Losing control, the griffon swiped at Leo with its claws.

Everyone froze.

Grab!

Leo yanked the reins hard, eyes fierce. "Kneel."

His commanding voice made the griffon flinch.

Lowering its claws, it glanced nervously, then crouched, offering its back in submission.

Leo, satisfied, mounted the saddle. "Good boy."

He patted its neck, but the griffon trembled.

"What just happened? The griffon submitted on its own! Leo's taming time is the fastest!" Runba said, stunned.

Yura, watching, gaped. 'He subdued it with sheer presence? What can't this kid do?'

Her assumption of Leo's practical weakness was dead wrong. 'If Woreden has raw power, Leo has unmatched skill.'

Her eyes gleamed. 'This race might get interesting.'

Screech!

Leo pulled the reins, and the griffon roared, taking flight.

Its injured wing flapped awkwardly, slowing it down.

"Leo's griffon is injured! Barely airborne, and now this bad luck! Looks like last place is locked in!" Runba said, pityingly.

Leo patted the struggling griffon's neck, focusing his spirit power. "In the name of the Oathbinder, I command you to appear."

Fwoosh!

Flames flickered, and a fiery orb enveloped Leo.

"What's that?" a spectator asked.

"Looks like a fire-based beast summon," another said.

"Didn't they say he hasn't contracted a beast or spirit?" a third wondered.

The sudden summon stirred the crowd.

"What's that flame?" Celia said, eyes wide.

Lis's eyes twitched. 'Zerdinger flames? No, not aura flames. What is it?'

Within the flames, a summoning circle glowed on Leo's palm.

The fiery circle birthed a small bird.

Chirp! Chirp!

"Still looks like a chick," Leo said.

Fiora, the baby phoenix, pecked his thumb.

"Oh? You understand me now?" Leo asked.

Fiora flapped gracefully on his palm, chin raised, as if displaying phoenix majesty.

To Leo, though— 'Total chick.'

"If we can communicate, this'll be easy. Fiora, bless this griffon."

Blessing, a phoenix's unique ability, granted a portion of its power to a target.

This made phoenix summoners among the strongest.

Nodding, Fiora hopped onto the griffon's head.

Already scared of Leo, the griffon trembled more, instinctively fearing the top-tier phoenix.

Fiora stretched elegantly, pecking the griffon's head lightly.

Roar!

The griffon's feathers bristled.

Its strained wingbeats gained strength.

White fur turned reddish, and yellow eyes shifted to orange.

Leo grinned, placing Fiora on his shoulder.

Whoosh!

The surrounding flames scattered.

Screech!

The griffon roared powerfully.

"Let's go!" Leo said, pulling the reins.

The griffon shot skyward at blinding speed.

"Whoa! That's fast!" a spectator gasped.

"A first-year can enhance a beast like that?" another asked.

Screams erupted from the stands.

"Wait! Isn't that too fast?" one shouted.

"How's he dodging obstacles at that speed?" another asked.

A pillar of light appeared before the descending Leo, firing red mana bolts relentlessly.

The beast race's basic trap—getting hit meant massive physical damage, potentially instant elimination.

Faster speeds made dodging harder, but the bolts followed a pattern.

'Up-down-down-left-left-right-up-left,' Leo's eyes tracked instantly.

Swish! Swoop! Swoop!

Without slowing, he dodged the bolts with incredible control, flying through.

Spectators gasped at his seamless unity with the griffon.

"Leo's beast control is unreal!" Runba shouted, thrilled.

Clearing the obstacle, Leo pulled the reins.

Having preserved speed for evasion, he had room to accelerate.

Leaving the starting area, Leo streaked across the sky.

He spotted students wobbling in flight. 'Woreden must've smashed everything in sight.'

Not everyone was out, but most were too damaged to maintain speed.

Leo swiftly joined the rear group.

"Huh? Leo Flove?" a student gasped.

"Broke through that spirit magic? How'd he catch up so fast?" another asked.

Summoning students panicked.

"Leo!" Laura, a Class 5 Summoning student, beamed.

Seeing her targeted, Leo steered his griffon. "Looks like Woreden already hit you, but..."

His griffon's foreleg grabbed a male student harassing Laura by the scruff.

"You!" the student shouted.

"I'm also the type to pay back what I get," Leo said, smiling.

The student scrambled, but Leo's griffon soared upward first.

Dangling by the neck, the student flailed.

Leo hurled him toward another student.

"Aaah!" one screamed.

"Don't throw him at us!" another yelled.

Crash!

They collided and plummeted.

The rear group panicked.

Flap! Flap!

From above, Leo looked down coldly. "Ready for what's next?"