Leon stood in the center of the arena with Saint Seraphina at his side.
Directly across from them were Albert von Kronstadt—the top of the class and a force of nature with overwhelming power—and Luna.
(Luna...)
Years ago, the three of them, Seraphina included, had spent their days playing together. Leon had naively assumed their bond would never change. But he was wrong; nothing stayed the same forever.
Luna was no longer at his side.
This wasn't just a matter of the team pairings. Leon could feel how far her heart had drifted. Now, the only person she saw was the strongest of them all—Albert von Kronstadt.
Albert spoke, his voice breaking the silence.
"You look pale. Should we just record a forfeit due to a sudden fever?"
If only it were that simple, Leon’s mind might actually be at ease. The memory of the sturdy Knight Klaus being dismantled was still fresh. There was no questioning Albert's overwhelming strength. Leon could no longer muster the naive optimism he’d felt when they first met—the belief that he would catch up eventually or that they were rivals.
Truthfully, he wanted to run away.
But...
(I can't run. As a Hero, I can't let myself get into the habit of fleeing!)
That was the very "Hero's mindset" he had been taught since childhood.
One who has the courage to stand tall—that was what it meant to be a Hero.
Clenching his trembling hands, Leon retorted.
"I'm fine. Let’s have a good match, Albert, Luna."
He turned on his heel and stepped back. There, Seraphina, who had always believed in him, waited for Leon with a benevolent smile.
"Leon-sama, let's do our best. Don't worry, we're invincible when we're together."
"Yeah. Let's win this."
"Yes!"
Leon and Albert drew their swords simultaneously.
Both were using training weapons with dulled blades meant for mock battles—but Leon wondered how much comfort that really provided against a man like Albert, who had broken Knight Klaus with his bare hands and unleashed magic powerful enough to obliterate training dolls.
The signal from the teacher acting as referee rang out.
Leon took up a defensive position near Seraphina, who struggled with close-quarters combat. In contrast, Albert and Luna had split to the left and right, putting distance between themselves as if they weren't even considering each other's defense.
(If I'm going to take one down first, it has to be the mage, Luna—)
It felt as though they were inviting that very move.
However, as long as he couldn't leave Seraphina unprotected, Leon couldn't afford to charge in alone.
At that moment, Seraphina's right hand touched Leon's back.
"O Absolute God Zenos, I, Saint Seraphina, offer my prayer! Grant the protection of light to those who march to battle! Grant them the courage to face all hardships! Spell: 'Blessing of the Holy Heaven'!"
The Saint’s voice resonated through the arena.
Instantly, a golden radiance enveloped Leon’s body.
"Whoa! Is that the Saint's Blessing!?"
"He looks like a legendary Hero!"
"Man, I wish she’d cast that on me!"
The students in the audience raised their voices in excitement.
(T-This is... the Saint's Blessing!?)
It was the highest tier of divine favor, a power only a Saint could bestow upon a Hero. It was a miracle Saint Seraphina had mastered after rigorous training, and it was the first time Leon had ever felt it.
Vitality surged through him, flooding every individual cell in his body. The exhilaration was so intense it felt as if he might burst if he lost his focus for even a second.
(With this—!)
It wasn't just physical power. Even his heart, which had been withered by fear, was filled to the brim with fighting spirit.
"Hm. So that's how it feels," Albert murmured, the corners of his mouth relaxing into a faint smirk.
Then, he activated his own magic.
"Spell: 'Physical Enhancement'."
Immediately, the pressure Albert exerted through the air intensified.
The sensation on Leon's skin was one of pure oppression, comparable to when he had faced Knight Klaus wielding the power of the shield Tria Petal.
However, it wasn't yet at the level Albert had reached when he destroyed Klaus.
(...Is he not using that power? Or is he unable to?)
Certainly, Albert's state back then had been anything but ordinary.
"Do you really have time to be daydreaming?"
His physical abilities bolstered, Albert closed the distance in a blur. The sharp, punishing slashes that had cornered Knight Klaus now assailed Leon.
"Uoooooooooh!"
With a roar, Leon swung his sword to parry Albert’s strike.
A sharp, metallic clang rang out as he repelled the blow.
"Incredible!"
"The Saint's buff is unreal!"
The students began to cheer.
Every one of those voices praised the Saint's Blessing rather than Leon’s swordsmanship.
(...Of course! It’s Seraphina's power that's truly amazing!)
If not for that blessing, Leon’s stance would have crumbled from that single blow, and the match would have ended with the follow-up strike.
But that didn't matter.
He wasn't acting as a Hero to be praised.
(I—the vessel that I am—will embody the Hero and seize victory! That is all there is to it!)
Leon stepped in and slashed at Albert. Albert reacted instantly, parrying the strike with ease.
Slashes were exchanged at high speed. Every time the metallic screech of their crossing blades echoed, the crowd's excitement reached a new fever pitch.
"That commoner is actually holding his own against Albert!"
"The Saint's buff is just too great!"
Hearing those comments, Seraphina huffed in annoyance.
"Geez! It’s Leon-sama who’s amazing, not me!"
"—Spell: 'Magic Cannon'."
Luna, who had been watching quietly until now, unleashed her magic.
The target of the gathered mana was—Leon.
"—!?"
"Hahaha!"
Albert refused to give Leon a chance to evade. He pushed Leon back until the very last second, then retreated just before the impact.
The bolt of immense mana, a spell far superior to a Magic Bullet, hit Leon directly.
Screams rose from the audience.
But Leon remained unscathed. A golden barrier had manifested to protect him. It was a boundary deployed by Saint Seraphina.
"As long as I am here, I won't let you lay a finger on Leon-sama!"
Seraphina’s defiant shout was immediately drowned out by the audience’s cries.
"Above! Look up! Above!"
Reacting to the crowd, Seraphina looked up and widened her eyes.
Luna had fired two 'Magic Cannons'. The first had been aimed at Leon, but the second had been fired in a high, parabolic arc aimed directly over Seraphina’s head.
Boom!
The massive cluster of mana exploded.
But that was all it did.
Seraphina, standing directly below the blast, remained composed. A golden barrier had materialized along the path of the exploding mana, holding firm.
"It was worth including a roof."
Seraphina’s lips curved into a smile.
The moment Leon let out a sigh of relief, a voice full of dark amusement reached them from the front.
It was Albert von Kronstadt.
"Kuhahaha! Your precious barrier is quite impressive! But how about this? Spell: 'Lightning Bolt'!"
The moment Leon turned his eyes toward him, he was blinded by a vivid, brilliant flash of light.