A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

I was just eating my meal when all of a sudden a duel was set.

Even though they're the ones who first expressed their dissatisfaction and we simply responded, something feels strange.

Perhaps it's a matter of getting the cart before the horse. Given the situation, Rod, the Principal, cannot step in directly.

It seems I should just consider this as a stamp of approval, following the storyline whether I like it or not.

I coincidentally need to determine how strong my power is. This is the first time I'm dealing with a human instead of a monster or beast.

"Remember, you absolutely cannot kill. Understand?"

"Shibal (I understand)."

"Ellie mentioned that she considers you as a kin, but I'm worried."

While preparing for the duel in the training field, Rod anxiously communicated this to me.

Nevertheless, the way he emphasizes it with his gestures makes me feel like I'm being treated like a fool. Even if I nod my head in understanding, he keeps stressing it.

‘But why have so many people gathered?'

United Academy has a separate building dedicated for combat training. It is closer to a stadium than a training field.

Ideally, it's used for entrance exams or subsequent events. The entrance exam is over so now it'll probably be used for duels.

Even if it isn't an event, the place is frequently used. There is no better training to enhance one's skills than a duel.

However, as far as I know, there are hardly any spectators unless it is an anticipated duel featuring well-known students.

‘What is there to see? Is it because of that man?'

I looked at the swarm of spectators gathered in the stands. For some reason, people flocked to the place while I was preparing.

Given the short amount of time, there's no way rumors would have spread across the entire academy. It probably has something to do with the man named Elvin.

‘I don't care.'

All I need to do is to deal with one person. Nothing more, nothing less.

To do so, I need to prepare. I listened to Rod's guidance, along with a number of other explanations.

The duel ends as soon as the opponent faints. Killing is strictly prohibited. If it appears a killing blow may occur, he will intervene.

On second thought, it seems like he has been subtly kind to me. Perhaps luck was on my side for encountering him when I was bored.

"Why not choose a weapon you like?"

"Whoa…"

I exclaimed in awe at the sight of iron weapons hanging on a rack.

Only using stone axes and spears up to this point, the sight of iron weapons felt quite fresh.

Having only ever used stone axes or spears, seeing the iron weapons was a new experience for me.

I wondered if those weapons could withstand my magical power. Every time I used the stone axes or spears, they would inevitably be destroyed after a single use. ꞦᴀＮỖＢÈȘ

"Consider using a sword if you're conflicted."

Rod, who seemed to prefer swords was subtly suggesting it.

However, all I know how to do is swing or thrust. Therefore, using a blunt weapon or a spear was much more comfortable for me.

Ignoring Rod's subtle suggestion of a sword, I casually picked up a one-handed axe and spear of the right size.

"That's unfortunate. Do you not recognize the elegance of a sword?"

Rod displayed a slightly disappointed reaction. What's with this old man?

‘Can't I take more?'

If possible, I would like to take various weapons for unforeseen circumstances. It would be to utilize one of my skills, throwing.

Just as I was about to grab a few more weapons, Rod stopped me with a stern voice.

"You can't carry more than two weapons."

"Shibal (why)?"

"It's the rule… Explaining it won't change anything. Either way, you can't."

Rather than explaining it, he shook his head, signaling his disagreement.

While I'm not sure what these rules are, there's no helping it. Even one item is enough.

"Maybe you have a habit of collecting."

Not true. I'm simply intrigued by the iron weapons.

"I'm emphatically reminding you that you absolutely cannot kill. He is not your prey. Got it?"

"Shibal (I got it)."

"I accepted because I was curious about your abilities, but now I'm feeling like I've made a foolish decision…"

He should've regretted it sooner if he was going to. Just causing me unnecessary trouble.

Grumbling inwardly, I followed Rod as he walked ahead. It was decided that he would act as the referee in this duel.

In the game, he was just a spectator munching on popcorn, which was quite unexpected now that he was becoming involved. I didn't quite understand what he had in mind.

– Is that the guy?

– Seems like it. Isn't he just from the Hwan Empire?

– When I first saw him, he looked like a total wild man. Seems like he's had a haircut.

As all the preparations ended and I started walking towards the center of the stadium, all kinds of voices were heard.

It was too different compared to the forest where the song of birds and insects created a harmony all around.

Occasionally, even malicious comments were intertwined, making me feel uncomfortable. Even if I didn't want to, my extraordinary physical abilities made everything audible.

As I was silently following Rod, I noticed Elvin approaching from the opposite side.

His attire was different from before, more suited for activity. Regardless of what he wore, his handsome face made everything look good.

‘He uses a sword, just as I remembered.'

The sword itself seemed ordinary. However, what was important was not the sword, but the skills he employed.

While I am abundant in terms of hardware, my foundation is weak. I could never let my guard down.

"You already know this, but killing is prohibited. If I see any signs of it, I will intervene immediately."

"I understand."

"You too, Sivar…"

I got it. I said, I got it.

I let his repeated words of caution go in one ear and out the other as it was a nag.

The priority right now was to understand my opponent. Elvin, if properly utilized, can be a valuable asset.

Even if he doesn't seem all that impressive now, I should not let my guard down.

Whistle!

While I was stupidly standing, Rod blew a loud whistle a few steps back.

I don't understand why he's whistling when he should have a signal horn. He really is an enigma.

"I was already displeased with the barbarians, but now we have wild men making an appearance… I wonder what the principal is thinking."

"?"

Was he speaking for me to hear? At Elvin's muttering, I tilted my head.

Looking at his dissatisfied expression, it was clearly not a friendly gaze.

"Is United Academy coming to its end? Seeing even those who aren't fully human trying to join, let alone lacking in ancestry."

"…"

"Those aren't the eyes of a monster, so why are they so red… Are you really human?"

Hey there, buddy. I can hear your mumbling.

Speak softer when you have something to say. Are you saying that for me to hear?

That being said, it seems like his pride is quite substantial, he was fussing about it earlier.

While I was wondering whether there is a chance for his recovery, Elvin began to adopt a serious expression and took his position.

At the same time, a fierce aura began to emanate. Even without my instincts of the wild, I could tell that the aura was directed at me.

Since he provoked first, I should respond properly. I scowled and took action.

Bang!

I threw the spear I had in my right hand. Intentionally, I threw it lightly.

Elvin, surprised by the sudden throw of my spear without warning, swiftly dodged with swift body control.

Thud!

The spear flew far and embedded itself in the wall. It didn't explode as I had thrown it with sheer physical strength rather than imbuing it with magic.

Now all that was left was the axe in my left hand. I intended to use the axe as a weapon.

Ideally, I wanted to ditch the axe too and fight with nothing but my bare hands which I have the utmost confidence in, but that would reveal too much of my bottom card.

Swish!

Meanwhile, Elvin ran towards me and swung his sword at a slant. Judging from the sound of slicing through the air, his skills were extraordinary.

While it wouldn't be bad to end this quickly, I was planning to gauge Elvin’s skills.

So, I dodged Elvin’s colourful attacks one by one and backed away.

Slice!

I avoided his horizontal swing by taking a step back.

Woosh!

I avoided his diagonal attacks by twisting my body.

Similarly, I dodged all his other attacks with minimal movements.

‘He's slow.'

Elvin’s attacks were clean and precise. But they were straightforward and slow, at least by my standards.

His movements weren't big and there were no openings. It was just slow enough for me to see and dodge.

Even a snake living in the Wilderness Forest is nimble enough to activate my instincts of the wild.

‘His skills are exceptional though.'

Even though his pace was slow based on my standards, his skills were indeed commendable. As I mentioned earlier, his attacks were clean.

There were nearly no trembles in his sword, neither when he slashed diagonally, horizontally nor stabbed.

On the other hand, me?

My overwhelming specs were covering for me, but I was grotesquely underperforming compared to Elvin.

Right now, I was just concentrating on evasion and hiding my shortcomings. The moment I shift to attack, my weaknesses will be exposed.

"Huff…"

The relentless attack Elvin had been driving towards me stopped. Judging by his stiffened expression, it seemed he had noticed something odd.

Since he stopped attacking from his side, now was the time for me to step up.

I started walking forward before he could catch his breath.

Step- Step- Step-

Seeing me slowly approach, Elvin tensed up while trying to steady his breathing.

Looking at him gripping his sword tightly with both hands, it seemed like he was ready to retaliate at any time.

But I didn't make any move, even when Elvin was right in front of me.

"… …"

"… …"

"What are you doing.."

Clink!

Of course, it doesn't mean I wouldn't attack. It was just to lure him into letting his guard down.

Before Elvin could voice out his doubt, I swung my axe up from below with great force.

Though it was a reckless swing with no preparation, it would surely be much faster than Elvin's attacks.

"Cough…!"

Caught off guard, Elvin hastily raised his sword to block the attack. Normally, his sword would have broken, but it remained intact.

He might have imbued it with magic to enhance its durability, but he couldn't withstand the shock and was pushed back.

As Elvin was being pushed back, I bent my knees and lowered my posture. Then, as soon as he stopped, I stomped my foot firmly.

Bang!

Due to the strong recoil, my body shot forward quickly. At the same time, the distance between Elvin and me closed in an instant.

I swung the axe in my left hand with great force, just like before. The target was precisely Elvin's head.

The power was much greater than before. If he tried to block it with the sword, his weapon would surely be shattered.

Perhaps Elvin had anticipated this. He moved his body hastily.

His body twist was not enough, he completely threw himself to the side.

Whoosh!

The axe sliced nothing but thin air. The attack had failed, but I wasn't bothered.

It was just a feint after all. I couldn't help but aim for the head out of habit.

Tap-

I used my empty right hand to support myself on the ground, and in that same position, I spun around on my hands and feet.

Although I'd thrown myself while attacking, I landed as softly as a feather. I regained my position and looked at Elvin.

He looked rather flustered, probably because he hadn't expected to be pushed back this much. His expression was one of disbelief.

He hadn't blocked any of my attacks, he had simply evaded them all. Moreover, he had to throw himself to avoid my attack.

Technique or what, a difference in specs is overwhelmingly clear.

"…Truly a beast-like fellow."

I know. But I couldn't help it as I was living in the forest.

Living in a place where large monsters like monkeys frequently appear, agility is a must.

A single mistake could lead to a serious injury, which in turn has helped me to improve my agility.

"… …"

Elvin looked at me with glaring eyes, as if waiting for the right timing. His both hand gripped the sword tightly.

Apparently, he might be planning to retaliate when I attack like before.

Was he considering me a beast? I understood his thought but I needed to teach him a lesson.

That even though I lived like a beast, I still had my wits about me.

Bang!

Without any delay, I hastily swung the axe, throwing myself in the process.

Despite the closing gap, Elvin remained calm.

Squeak-

Then, Elvin smiled a triumphant smile. His face expression said that he sensed a proper attack.

Immediately after that, he subtly moved his foot to the right. For a brief moment, Elvin disappeared from my line of sight.

Swoosh-

Instead, the sharp edge of his sword was heading towards my face.

He was using the counterattack, a method I used frequently, which relies on the momentum of the beastly charge.

If we continued like this, my face would be sliced by the blade. Even though I had the ‘Steel King' trait, I didn't want to risk it.

So,

Crack!

I bit down hard on it, with my sturdy teeth. The fact that I used magic to protect myself from any harm was an added bonus.

"What the…!"

Elvin's posture collapsed as he got dragged away by the momentum of my charge.

Even if he landed on the ground, he didn't take out the sword from my mouth. The sight was quite entertaining by the look on Elvin's face.

"This, this beast of a…!"

Elvin was trying his best to pull out his sword, but my jaw was much stronger.

In nature, sometimes you have to utilize even your teeth. It was useful when my arms and legs were injured.

There were occasions when my teeth were pulled out or broken, but they always recovered. This made me use them with ease.

Crunch!

"Uh…!"

Did I bite too hard? I heard an ominous sound from Elvin's sword.

Elvin too, paused his struggle and blankly stared at the phenomenon.

Since it would shatter eventually, I bit down harder.

Crash!

The practice sword shattered beautifully. Even though it was forged from steel, it broke too easily.

However, taking into consideration that it just blocked my attack, perhaps its durability was greatly reduced.

"Ptui."

I spit out all the fragments of steel that had entered my mouth. Elvin was alternating his gaze between me and his destroyed sword.

He seemed to be struggling to distinguish between dream and reality. My job was to make him realize this was reality.

Thud!

"Uhk!"

While he was off guard, I quickly rushed towards him and grabbed his neck. Startled, he struggled to shake me off.

Judging from the energy I felt from my hand, he seemed to be trying to use his magical power. Without wasting any time, I powerfully threw him to the ground.

It was a textbook choke slam, the kind you would see wrestling. Of course, I hadn't learned it.

Thud!

"Kugh!"

Falling on your back makes it difficult to breathe temporarily. Judging by the look in Elvin's bulging eyes, it was clearly effective.

Since I threw him before he could use his magic to protect himself, moving around would be difficult.

All that's left was to land the final blow.

Squeeze!

"Uhk…!”

While Elvin was unable to move, I tightened my grip on his neck, and in that position, raised my axe.

If I strike like this, Elvin's head will be split in two. But I don't intend to strike for real.

"That's enough."

Just before I swung, a familiar voice echoed in my ears. An unknown power made me instinctively stop.

Looking up, I saw Rod, whose approach I hadn't even noticed.

His smile was gentle, yet his aura was strangely intense.

"I said, no killing. I hope you understood that."

"… …"

I knew that. I carefully scanned my surroundings.

Part of me wanted to hit him just once, but I was caught in a dilemma. He had openly insulted me in front of everyone, he deserved to get hit.

Swoosh-

As I was standing there, looking around with my axe raised, Rod pulled something out of his pocket and extended it to me.

Looking, I saw a brown candy on his hand. It was the delicious scorched rice flavored candy.

Having tasted it once before, my instincts screamed at me. They told me to eat it and feel the joy immediately.

Saliva filled my mouth, and my raised axe slowly lowered.

The strength in the hand gripping Elvin's neck gradually diminished.

Whistle-

Deducing that I was no longer in fighting mode, Rod casually tossed the candy.

The candy drew an arc in the air and accurately flew towards my face.

Opening my mouth wide, I caught the candy with my mouth.

The sweet and savory flavor of the scorched rice candy spread throughout my mouth.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine."

While savoring the small happiness the candy brought, Rod helped Elvin to his feet.

Elvin, with a dumbfounded expression, was alternating his gaze between his broken sword and me. He seemed to still be in disbelief.

"You lost, as you might have guessed. I hope you remember what you said earlier."

"··· …"

At Rod's words, Elvin looked at me. I glanced back at him as I savored my candy.

His face looked complex in many ways. Naturally, given that he had just been overwhelmingly defeated by a brute-like me.

More than that, I had displayed an unbelievable feat of breaking a steel sword with my teeth.

I wondered if he would apologize to me. With someone as respected as The Principal standing next to him, the chances were high.

"…I'm sorry."

As I expected, Elvin bowed his head and apologized.

However, as if remembering something, he looked up and asked Rod,

"But do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I don't. But you'll remember it later."

"··· …"

He had an expression that suggested he felt unsatisfied, but he bowed his head and apologized to me once more.

Even if I couldn't understand, there were many spectators. The area was packed with people who had gathered to watch.

"Just in case, let me give you a candy. That way, you might be seen as a good person."

"This is…"

"It's a scorched rice flavored candy."

Rod handed a piece of the scorched rice flavored candy to Elvin. Naturally, Elvin looked bewildered.

By the way, does Rod really think of me as an animal?

"Here…"

While I was thinking such thoughts, Elvin cautiously extended his hand to me.

His face showed uncertainty, as if he wasn't sure this was the right thing to do.

"Yum."

Without hesitation, I accepted the candy with my mouth. I don't say no to gifts.

Seeing this, Elvin had an even more complex expression on his face.

Even for someone as proud as he is, this must be a confusing situation.

‘I feel like I'm earning favor.'

It doesn't matter anyway.

The one who gives delicious treats is always a good person.

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