Chapter 27 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Rival Professor's Challenge
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The male students, changed into their gym clothes, headed for the training grounds.
On the vast grounds, there were other classes besides Class 5.
All the classes that had Combat Studies at the same time were out on the field.
Of course, thanks to the immense size of the training grounds, their activity areas never overlapped.
Professor Sera stood before the students, who were gathered in a cluster on the dirt field.
Halind observed Sera's class from the back.
"In Combat Studies, we will train you to apply your abilities. Any questions?"
Iliana raised her hand.
"Yes, Student Iliana."
"What exactly does 'ability application training' mean? Is it different from the training we do in our major courses?"
"It is. Let's take magic as an example. Student Iliana, please create a Fireball."
Iliana, who was aiming for the dual class of Magic Swordsman, easily conjured a fist-sized Fireball.
"Now! How would you apply that Fireball to maximize its efficiency?"
"Hmm! First, I'd inject more mana into the spell formula. Then, if I add a damage-boosting formula and a spell-duplication formula!"
*Fwoosh! Fwoosh!*
The Fireball grew in size and then split into two.
"This is how I can maximize the Fireball's efficiency!"
"Is that all?"
"Huh? Um… well. If I add another formula here…"
Seeing Iliana's flustered reaction, Professor Sera smiled gently.
"It's alright. Next, Student Chelsea?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Is there another way to further maximize the Fireball's efficiency from this point?"
"I'm sorry, I can't think of any other methods besides what Iliana mentioned."
"I see. Then next…"
The magic majors subtly avoided her gaze.
If even the top magic student in their class couldn't answer, how were they supposed to know?
"Student Leo?"
"Yes."
"How would you maximize the Fireball's efficiency from here?"
"Control. You can only maximize efficiency if you can actually hit your target, no matter how much you increase the power."
"Correct! Five points to Student Leo for the question."
The other students looked crestfallen at the simple answer.
"When you train your abilities, you tend to focus more on increasing power than on control. That's why most students are rather clumsy with their ability control."
The students wore expressions of disbelief at the mention of being clumsy.
They used their abilities every day, so how could they be clumsy?
"Here's a question."
Professor Sera summoned a wind spirit, a sylph.
"I will give bonus points to any student who can capture this sylph. You may use any and all of your abilities."
The students, fired up with motivation, took on the challenge of catching the sylph.
But not a single student could catch the sylph, which was neither particularly fast nor emitting powerful gusts of wind.
It was because the sylph was dodging the students' grasps with incredible agility.
A moment later, several students rushed it at once, but they still failed to catch it.
"*Gasp*—! *Gasp*! That thing might not be a sylph!"
Karl collapsed onto the ground, spread-eagled and panting.
"*Pant, pant*! Then what is it!"
Chelsea retorted as she sank to the ground.
"How should I know?!"
Just as the sylph, floating in mid-air, placed its hands on its hips with a smug look…
*Fwoosh-!*
An aura of flame billowed out.
Leo, who had been standing still, lunged at the sylph.
The sylph, with a leisurely expression, tried to flee.
Leo accelerated, closed the distance to the sylph, and reached out his hand.
The sylph zipped away, dodging his hand.
An aura of flame erupted from the back of Leo's hand, cutting off the sylph's path.
As if anticipating this, the sylph swerved in mid-air.
But the wall-shaped aura instantly transformed into a rope and pursued the sylph.
The sylph, not having expected that, panicked.
It suddenly picked up speed and flew high into the sky, escaping just before the rope could wrap around it.
"Oh, Sylph! That's cheating!"
At Sera's words, the sylph looked apologetic.
It seemed that in its surprise, it had used more power than was permitted.
"In any case, that was excellent, Student Leo."
Sera clapped her hands.
"As you just saw, Student Leo didn't use much power. Combat Studies is about training to incorporate this kind of application into battle."
The students of Class 5 now understood what Sera meant by them being clumsy with their control.
Professor Halind, watching the class from the back, let out a small smirk.
'No wonder that Ain fellow would be drooling over him.'
In terms of Aura control alone, he was expected to be the undisputed top student among the first-years.
"Huhu, not very elegant."
*Crackle-!*
With the sound of sparks, a flash of golden aura swirled and enveloped the sylph.
*Snatch-!*
Before the sylph could even react, it was caught in a single hand.
*Thud-!*
A male student, Duran, landed on the ground and glared at Leo.
*Clap! Clap! Clap!*
"As expected of Student Duran! Such outstanding skill, befitting the top student!"
"You praise me too highly."
Duran said to the middle-aged professor.
"Oh my? How strange? Halind, the most respected professor in Lumerne, and yet none of the students in your class could catch the sylph, while a student from my Class 1 caught it so easily."
Halind looked tiredly at the flamboyantly dressed, middle-aged professor.
"Aha! Come to think of it, wasn't Class 5 the one with the lowest average? My, my. It seems I forgot and said something rude."
"Aren't you going to teach your class, Sedzen?"
Halind sighed as he watched Professor Sedzen apologize with exaggerated gestures.
"Of course! I came here to teach!"
Professor Sedzen spread his arms wide.
"Class 1 and Class 5! I hereby request an inter-class battle! Surely you won't run away? Of course, I wouldn't blame you if you did! My elegant Class 1 has not one, not two, but three top students! Hahahahahaha!"
Professor Sedzen laughed cheerfully, pointing to the three students at the front of Class 1, including Duran.
Leo spoke to two of those students.
"Hello there, elegant and beautiful students of Class 1."
Celia and Chloe, who had been looking down, lifted their heads and glared at Leo with menacing eyes.
Of course, Leo wasn't the type to be fazed by such things.
"Assistant Professor. Why is that professor acting like that?"
Chelsea asked with a baffled expression.
"That is Professor Sedzen. He and Professor Halind were colleagues from the start of their teaching careers."
"Professor Sedzen? Isn't he just as famous as Professor Halind?"
"He is renowned as Lumerne's finest and most distinguished professor."
Unlike Halind, who was actually notorious, Sedzen was a teacher many students wished to learn from.
However, among the graduates, Halind was ranked first as the most respected professor, and Sedzen was second.
Because of this, Sera explained, Sedzen harbored a strong sense of rivalry toward Halind.
After hearing the explanation, the students of Class 5 watched Sedzen provoke Halind with all sorts of taunts.
'Professor Halind isn't batting an eye.'
'Professor Sedzen looks kind of pathetic.'
Unable to watch Sedzen cling to Halind, who was ignoring all his provocations, Sera spoke up.
"Professor Sedzen. Today is the first class, so a sudden inter-class battle is a bit…"
"Ooh! Student Sera Tilia… no! Assistant Professor Sera!"
Professor Sedzen approached Sera with his arms wide open.
"How long has it been! I was so worried about you! Seeing you as an assistant professor fills my heart with joy!"
"Thank you for your concern."
Sera bowed with an awkward smile.
"In any case, Assistant Professor Sera! It doesn't matter if it's the first class! As students of Lumerne, unexpected situations can arise at any time!"
"Still…"
"My proud students of Class 1 are always ready for an inter-class battle! Isn't that right?"
"Yes, sir!"
"So elegant!"
As Sedzen wore a satisfied expression, Karl chuckled and walked over to the Class 1 students.
With his characteristic friendliness, he started teasing the Class 1 students he had befriended during the provisional class period.
"You're all so elegant! Students of Class 1!"
"You wanna die?"
"Stop messing with us."
A few Class 1 students, including Celia and Chloe, growled at Karl.
But Karl's teasing continued.
"What event did you have in mind for this competition?"
"Huhuhu! As expected, you don't run away! Are you sure about this? The students of Class 5 are sure to lose."
"I'm not interested in winning or losing."
Halind said in a dry voice.
"What's important is that the students will learn something, regardless of the outcome."
"In that case, your students will be learning the sting of defeat!"
"Even if they learn defeat, I just have to teach them how to get back up. And…"
The corner of Halind's mouth curled up.
"Conversely, they might just learn the composure of a victor."
The students of Class 5 looked moved as they watched Halind's cool retort.
"What Professor Sera said was true!"
"He may sound scary, but our homeroom professor must care about us a lot!"
"We respect you, Professor!"
Sedzen smiled cruelly.
"Alright. Then let's make a bet. The losing class will clean the first-year classroom building's bathrooms for a month. And the professor of the losing class will buy drinks for the winning class!"
"I don't mind."
That response drew a scream from Class 5.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
"How could you just accept something like that!"
"Hey, beautiful ladies?"
Karl, who had been teasing them to his heart's content, broke out in a cold sweat.
"We're friends, after all. You'll go easy on us, right? Maybe we can aim for a tie?"
"We're going to win, no matter what."
"That's right, elegantly."
Celia smirked coldly and swept her hair back, while Chloe cracked her knuckles with a malicious grin.
"Leo! Chelsea! We're counting on you! Save our class!"
Karl immediately clung to Leo and Chelsea, his face on the verge of tears.
The only students in Class 5 who could stand up to the top students were the year representative, Leo, and the runner-up of the western exam, Chelsea.
"I have no intention of losing."
"That's right. A mage of the Llewellyn family would never learn something like defeat."
Leo spoke leisurely, and Chelsea folded her arms with a "Hmph!"
"So? What event will decide the match?"
"Huhuhu! Is there not a traditional event for Lumerne's Combat Studies class?"
Sedzen gave a meaningful smile at Halind's question.
"So it's that one."
Halind let out a small sigh.
A sense of tension began to flow between Class 5 and Class 1.
"Don't tell me… it's *that*?"
"I can't believe we're actually going to do it."
"I've done it before."
The students swallowed nervously.
Only Leo looked puzzled.
"Sounds like a pretty rough event?"
"It's no joke. It's an official event they even use during exchange matches with other hero academies."
Chelsea's voice was also tense.
If it was an official event used in exchange matches that determined the school's pride, it was bound to be fiercely competitive.
*Clap-!*
When Professor Sedzen clapped his hands, the assistant instructor for Class 1 handed him something.
It was a transparent, fist-sized ball.
"One of the traditions of Lumerne's Combat Studies! We'll settle this with Bastera!"
'After all that serious build-up, we're just going to play with a ball?'
Leo's face was a picture of disbelief.
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