LHAHS Chapter 400
The moment Aru's Howling rang out, the Azonia students transformed, and it wasn't just them.
Slash—!
Transformed into her beast form, Shadow Lord Kirin swiftly decapitated the Hero Hunters.
Crack—
After tearing through a throat with her claws, Kirin flexed her fingers.
Meanwhile, she murmured to himself as she watched Chen Xia hunt down the Hero Hunters. Her fluid, graceful movements as she took down her enemies were mesmerizing.
The princess has learned to shine even with her feet submerged in darkness.
As a Shadow, she had witnessed countless heroes, and Chen Xia's movements were reminiscent of those heroes.
That cat, though… she's something else.
She didn't know how she had done it, but Aru's Howling had granted beastmen the same effect as a full moon.
The world is definitely changing.
For countless years, Kirin had lived as a Shadow. Now, she could feel it clearly.
And at the center of it all… is Leo Plov.
Dion, ranked second among the Azonia second-years, swung his massive greatsword with unrelenting force.
Boom—!
"Hahaha! Not bad!" Laughing, a Hero Hunter blocked Dion's greatsword, but within that laughter, there was clear mockery.
"Not bad for a snot-nosed brat!" The Hero Hunter sneered, his expression turning twisted. "What's the point of calling yourself Aaron's successor if you can't even use his transformation ability properly?"
Dion glared at him with an emotionless face.
The Hero Hunter smirked. "Hey, brat. Between us, who do you think is Aaron's true successor? Those of us who inherited his transformation ability? Or you, who didn't?"
Dion spoke coldly, staring straight at him. "As if that makes you any less a son of a bitch…!"
The Hero Hunter's face stiffened at Dion's words. "You damn brat! I'll kill you!"
Baring his fangs, the Hero Hunter charged, enraged by Dion's single, heavy remark.
Dion clenched his fists. A strong opponent… and one who can transform. This was a fight beyond his current limits.
But I can't back down. Not against someone who disgraces the name of the Brave Hero.
As Dion's eyes blazed with determination…
"Kurhaaaaaaah!"
A Howling echoed through the battlefield.
At that sound, Dion's ears twitched. At the same time, his heart pounded. A surge of power flooded his body.
Dion immediately realized what was happening.
Transformation?
His expression froze in shock, and it wasn't just him.
The Hero Hunter fighting him widened his eyes. "What the hell is this?!"
Dion looked down at the golden aura enveloping his body. It was exactly as described in the records of Aaron's aura. But there was something else within it…
Aru…!
Dion clenched his fist.
I don't know how she did it, but right now, my only focus is cutting down this traitor.
He tightened his grip on his sword.
Fwoosh—!
An ominous fighting spirit surged from Dion's body.
"You brat…!" The Hero Hunter's eyes burned with fury. "If you're a brat, then act like one!"
Boom—!
Unleashing his aura, the Hero Hunter roared. "Don't you dare challenge an adult!"
Crash—! Crack—!
Aura erupted from the Hero Hunter's sword, engulfing Dion. A storm of dust and debris rained down.
"You ran your mouth without knowing your place. Serves you right!" The Hero Hunter smirked as he sneered at Dion's apparent downfall.
Fwoosh—!
"…!"
Through the swirling dust, Dion emerged. Covered in blood, he had pushed forward right into the Hero Hunter's face.
With wounds severe enough that he should have been half-dead, his eyes still burned with determination.
"What the… That look in your eyes…!" The Hero Hunter murmured, unable to accept it. "What the hell makes you think you're so special?! Why do you keep glaring at me like that?! Just give up already!"
Despite having the overwhelming advantage in strength, the Hero Hunter faltered before Dion's unyielding will.
Dion responded coldly. "A traitor who already gave up has no right to tell me to stop."
Fwoosh—!
Dion swung his greatsword. "If I've been given courage, then even if I die…"
Slash—!
Dion's sword cleaved through the Hero Hunter's neck.
"I'll keep moving forward."
The Hero Hunter's severed head flew through the air before hitting the ground.
Thud—!
Dion coughed up blood and dropped to one knee. Then, he turned toward where Aru was.
"I don't know how you did it…" A weak grin crossed his lips. "But now… you really are the Brave Hero's successor."
Crackle—!
Golden lightning surged from Duran's body, and his eyes gleamed with a golden radiance as he charged toward the massive darkness. In his hands was a two-handed sword.
Crash—!
Duran became a streak of lightning, closing the distance at an incredible speed.
Slash—!
At that moment, shadows rose like blades, hurtling toward him.
Zing—! Boom—!
Just before the shadows could strike, a spell shot from behind, altering their trajectory—Juen's precision magic.
And that wasn't all.
Crackle—!
Chloe's mentee, Betty, froze the shadows in place with her ice magic.
It was a powerful combination of first-year mages. But even with all their strength, their magic only managed to delay the draconic spell for a moment.
Still, that was enough.
Flash—!
Duran shot through the opening. The fastest among Lumene's second-year students, renowned as the "Golden Generation," he cut through the darkness like a bolt of lightning.
Gripping his sword with both hands, he swung.
Flash! Crackle—!
A blinding light erupted, electric sparks scattering in every direction. It was a force reminiscent of high-level magic, the intense brightness seeming to weaken the darkness.
Duran's blade pierced through the shadows, but then, dark tendrils lashed out, aiming to impale him.
Whoosh—!
A violent gust swept in, snatching Duran away just in time.
"I was this close to cutting it down."
"And you were this close to getting skewered!"
"You should've provided better support."
Chelsea glared at him. "You think I'm just here to clean up after you?"
Duran snorted. "You're slow."
"I swear I'll drop you!" Chelsea gritted her teeth.
Among the second-years, she was the second fastest after Duran.
Like her brother, Abad, she specialized in wind magic. However, unlike the traditional magic user Abad, Chelsea was a battle mage—faster and more agile in combat.
Still, even she couldn't surpass Duran in speed.
Slash—!
A shadow blade shot toward Chelsea at high velocity. Smirking, she raised her staff.
"Cyclone."
Whoosh—!
With rapid chanting, she conjured a high-tier wind spell, blasting the shadows away.
"Rafale."
Boom—!
A fierce gale enveloped the shadows, concealing vacuum blades within the storm, slicing through the darkness.
Watching this, Juen clenched her teeth. "She's the same age as me, but…!"
Cyclone and Rafale—both were high-tier spells that even an average mage would struggle to cast, yet Chelsea had conjured them in an instant.
At Lumene, a single year's difference was huge, but even so, standing on such vastly different levels from someone of the same age was… overwhelming.
Meanwhile…
Whoosh—!
A wind far stronger than Chelsea's swept through the battlefield.
Blaze—!
And with it, roaring flames.
"You ready, Abad?"
"Are you ready, Celia?"
"As long as you are, I'm good." Celia smirked.
Abad returned the smile and unleashed his magic.
"Tempest."
Boom—!
The wind gathered around Celia's blade.
"Prominence."
Lewellin's wind and Zerdinger's flames fused, igniting her sword with an overwhelming firestorm.
Harnessing their maximum firepower, Abad and Celia launched their attack.
Flash! Blaze—!
Mana-infused winds and aura-infused flames surged toward the shadows.
Boom—!
Most of the darkness was obliterated, revealing a humanoid figure.
But it wasn't over.
Hiss—
Darkness crawled upward once again, reforming through draconic magic.
Rumble—!
A colossal fist crashed down from above. It was Titaum, Walden's contracted Elemental Lord of Earth.
Boom—!
The sheer force distorted the darkness, yet even that wasn't enough.
Crackle—!
The ground began to freeze.
At the very back of the Lumene formation, cloaked in freezing mana, stood Chloe. An immense surge of mana swirled around her.
Among the second-years, in terms of sheer firepower, Chloe was the strongest mage.
Since the battle had begun, she had been chanting continuously. For a mage, time equated to power.
Chloe's icy blue eyes locked onto the darkness. Sensing the danger she posed, the shadows lunged toward her.
Thud—!
Walden grabbed the darkness, pulling it away. His brute strength momentarily stalled its advance.
But in response, the shadows extended blades, aiming straight for Chloe.
"Block it!" Chelsea shouted urgently.
Three students had been standing guard, preparing for this moment—Aina, Haviden, and Sasha.
Haviden countered with wind-infused aura, deflecting the shadow blades. Sasha deployed her spirit beast to intercept the attack. However, the darkness split into multiple tendrils.
Aina stepped forward.
Slash—!
Golden light flashed.
In a dazzling display of swordsmanship, Aina struck down the fragmented shadow blades with overwhelming speed. It was enough to leave everyone in awe.
But…
Whoosh—!
A single shadow blade slipped through, streaking toward Chloe.
Chloe, deep in concentration, opened her eyes.
For a mage, the moment of spellcasting was when they wielded the greatest power, yet paradoxically, it was also when they were most vulnerable.
But Chloe had prepared for this. A short-range teleportation spell. It would weaken her attack slightly, but she had already gathered more than enough mana to unleash a devastating blow.
Just as Chloe was about to activate her magic, a silver streak flashed through the air, cutting down the incoming shadow blade.