A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Chapter 211

After Porori was attacked by a hunter, I called Rod and Luna to explain the situation.

Ellie was also included here, as she was sort of Porori's owner, so it was necessary for her to know the situation.

"A demon with blue coloring and perfect stealth... quite a dangerous one."

"You mentioned before that demons can't be detected, right? Doesn't that make it extremely dangerous?"

Luna, after hearing the explanation, voiced her opinion in a serious tone.

Her words were absolutely correct; hunters are the most dangerous among assassins.

Due to the innate traits of demons, detecting their presence is virtually impossible, and on top of that, they can achieve perfect stealth.

This means they could assassinate even the emperor if they set their mind to it.

"It's dangerous. But that's precisely why they won't act recklessly."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The skill of stealth itself is a magic that requires a high level of concentration. Moreover, their existence isn't completely erased, so they tend to get caught by detection magic."

Rod's words were correct. At first glance, a hunter's abilities might seem overpowered.

However, they have a weakness in that they are helpless against detection magic. Unless the magic is nullified, they will inevitably be detected.

Furthermore, as I demonstrated by scattering blood temporarily, there are countermeasures available. Defense is entirely possible.

"With that level of power, they would save it as a last resort. Losing such a resource would be a tremendous loss. But with such stealth abilities, it's certain that they've lived for quite a long time."

"Shouldn't we stay on guard?"

"The academy is protected by the existence of the Memorial Tower, so it's impossible for demons to approach. The forest outskirts would be their limit."

Thanks to the presence of the Memorial Tower, the academy is safe from demons.

Although I don't know the exact principle, during the academy's collapse, the Memorial Tower was the first thing to be neutralized.

Since then, well, hell broke loose. At least until that day comes again, we will be safe from demons.

"Does the Memorial Tower block demons from approaching?"

"It's been so long that I'm not sure, but I heard it blocks beings without life. So, it can block not only demons but also the undead."

"......?"

It was while Rod was answering Ellie's question. Luna blinked, seemingly sensing something strange.

Then, she glanced at me subtly, her expression showing doubt about me.

'Why is she looking at me?'

Could she possibly think that I'm related to demons? Based on what, exactly?

Or maybe she's suspicious because she saw me wielding the Bloodstained Greatsword without issue.

She must have read the explanation of the Bloodstained Greatsword through her emotions, and perhaps noticed my peculiar constitution.

'But I'm not a demon.'

My heart beats normally, and my coloring is vivid.

Although my skin is unusually pale and my eyes are bright red, I'm definitely not a demon.

Just an appearance that could exist anywhere. Besides, I've been steadily accumulating Divine Power.

"For the time being, Ratatoskr should stay in your dormitory, Ellie. If he stays in the forest and gets attacked by a demon again, it would be dangerous."

"Yes, I'll do that."

"Sivar, you should also avoid going into the forest as much as possible."

"......Yes."

I answered a beat late. Visiting the forest is essential, even if only to gather herbs.

Of course, I need to be fully prepared for ambushes. Just because they are hunters doesn't mean they're perfect.

What's more dangerous is the higher-ups. Demons like Rod, who possess a navy color, and led the academy's collapse.

I wanted to gather information about them somehow, but opportunities were hard to come by.

'Should I lure the hunter into a trap instead...?'

Or I could secretly tell Luna. She already knew some of my secrets.

After discussing various matters, we disbanded.

"Sivar."

"Yes?"

"You said you climbed the Memorial Tower with your bare hands before, right?"

Then Luna asked me. It was one of the eccentric things I did as soon as I entered the academy.

Climbing without any mana was quite exhausting. I also remember getting scolded by Rod for it.

"Yes. But why?"

"Hmm... never mind."

"You might be disappointed, but please endure, Ms. Kara. There's no other way to ensure balance, right?"

"So, you're saying you always end up on the same team? I'm jealous, so jealous."

"Hmph."

On the other hand, Grace was always on my team. Not just during exams, but also for practice sessions.

I couldn't help but wonder if it was sheer luck or if the professors intentionally arranged it.

We even started living together, so it was inevitable that we'd be on the same team.

"This time, the practice is more about strategy than brute force. In other words, intelligence is key. The time required for complete domination varies depending on the number of members."

"Hmm?"

"Simply put, it takes longer for one person to dominate, while the more members you have, the less time it takes to conquer. It's a kind of land-grabbing game."

However, upon hearing the rules explained by Godin, my perspective slightly changed. This wasn't just me; other students seemed to feel the same.

Judging by the murmurs and shared opinions, they seemed to think it was doable. In reality, this practice emphasized domination over brute strength.

"Additionally, the distance between the command post and the territories is considerable. Therefore, communication will be of utmost importance, as will encryption."

"... ..."

The more I listened, the more I tilted my head in thought. Under these conditions, going solo would be a disadvantage.

Even if I managed to dominate alone, the moment I left my position, another team would snatch it away.

Yet, staying in one place like a stationary ghost was also impractical. While the frontlines were important, the command post's strategy was even more crucial.

'The professors put some thought into this.'

Just like how they treated siege weapons during the last finals, they seemed determined to balance things out.

Besides, during the finals, even if it wasn't me, our team had too much of an advantage. The fact that those ruffians just sprawled out and slept sealed the deal.

Above all, it's fascinating how my existence keeps altering the future I once knew. I wonder what rules they'll come up with next.

"The code won't be assigned by me; instead, the team will create it through mutual agreement. We'll allocate time on Thursday afternoon for this. Now, I'll announce the teams."

I focused on Godin's announcement of the teams. Regardless of anything else, the team composition was crucial.

Strategy is important, but if the weapon to execute that strategy is inadequate, it's meaningless.

Of course, it's obvious who I'll end up teaming with. By looking at Kara's sullen expression and Grace's confident one, you could roughly guess.

However, as the saying goes, life is unpredictable. The roster Godin announced left us all stunned.

"Team 1: Karas, Luna Estelle, Sivar, Kara Meyer Hector's Daughter, Grace Aria del Berche... (and so on)."

"What?"

"That's a team?"

"Are you kidding? That's absurd!!"

It was like assembling the Avengers—a complete imbalance. Even the students shouted in protest, feeling it was too much.

Kara, too, looked dumbfounded. Her expression seemed to question if this was really happening.

Still, the slight twitch of her lips hinted that she was quite pleased to be on the same team as me.

"... No matter how you look at it, doesn't this make the whole thing meaningless?"

"Exactly. This is way too much..."

Even those on the same team expressed doubt. What were the professors thinking when they formed these teams?

Godin, seemingly anticipating such reactions, maintained a sly smile despite the strong backlash. He had an air of confidence, as if everything was part of his plan.

"Now, now. Calm down. As I mentioned earlier, this exercise prioritizes strategy over strength. Moreover, if you don't follow the command post's orders, the strategy could fall apart. Collaboration is key."

"Collaboration, my foot. It's like throwing a tiger among a flock of sheep."

Antonio grumbled from the back. There couldn't have been a more fitting analogy.

But as I said earlier, life is unpredictable.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot something."

Godin clapped his hands as if recalling something, drawing everyone's attention.

Then, glancing at me briefly, he maintained his sly smile as he began to speak.

"By the way, using a common language is prohibited in this practice."

"......?"

.bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }

"The teams were divided by nationality, so please understand."

What?

As I blinked in surprise at the rule, I heard someone mutter.

"... I'm probably the only one who knows my country's language..."

There was one other person in a similar situation to mine.