A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 112

The outskirts of the Forest of Chaos refer to areas that the Academy has not cleared, meaning places where monsters or beasts frequently appear.

The forest used for exams or practical training is managed by the Academy, with almost no dangerous entities present.

For this reason, the Academy has launched a large-scale effort to clean the outskirts. If it affects the exam hall, significant problems could arise.

Above all, even just the outskirts of the Forest of Chaos boast an enormous scale. The Academy itself is vast, so the forest is equally large.

You might ask whether this makes it difficult to manage. The Academy is aware of this and has deployed various facilities.

These include walls impenetrable by most monsters, barrier magic, machines, and patrolling guardsmen, among others.

These measures are sufficient, but most living beings are drawn to the mana-rich inner area. The Academy has no interest in that.

However, with so many diverse entities pushed to the outskirts, the Academy could not help but remain vigilant.

“Isn’t that an ogre?”

“It seems like it. But why is its skin blue?”

Among the teams scattered across the outskirts, Luna’s team discovered traces of a blue-skinned ogre that had been killed.

The overall appearance was that of a typical ogre. However, ogres generally have skin tones similar to humans.

While everyone was puzzled by this unfamiliar entity, only one person identified its origin.

“It’s a specimen from the Northern Region. How did it end up here?”

Serah, who hailed from the perpetually cold Northern Region, was able to identify the type of ogre.

Her expression, usually cold and composed, was instead filled with curiosity.

Noticing her reaction, Luna, who was investigating alongside her, cautiously asked a question.

“Does the color of ogres change depending on the region?”

“Not just ogres, but all living beings. Moreover, most develop resistance suited to their region’s climate. This ogre is highly resistant to cold but vulnerable to flames.”

Perhaps because she was from the Northern Region, Serah had a detailed understanding of the ogre’s weaknesses. Luna grew even more curious after hearing her explanation.

From what she knew, the Northern Region was far from the Academy. Yet this ogre had reached the outskirts.

“Isn’t the Northern Region far from the Academy?”

“It is. But it’s a different story if it passed through the Forest of Chaos. The forest borders every climate except the desert.”

“Is that even possible?”

“Even scholars don’t know, which is why it’s called the Forest of Chaos.”

Luna couldn’t understand why the Hero had chosen to establish the Academy in such a place.

If anything, it was thanks to the passage of time and the advancement of civilization that things had settled to this extent. In the early days, countless incidents must have occurred.

Even now, reports of people going missing after entering the forest occasionally surfaced. It remained a dangerous forest in many ways.

“It seems it accidentally found the forest’s entrance. But to be pushed to the outskirts and cut clean in half…”

“··· ···”

Luna silently listened to Serah’s words. The ogre’s body was neatly severed at the waist area.

Its upper and lower halves were separated, spilling its innards—a sight that naturally made onlookers grimace.

Fortunately, Luna had seen plenty of monster and animal corpses before entering the Academy, so she was unfazed.

The other students were the same. Though they showed disgusted expressions, none of them vomited or reacted excessively.

“Could the monster that killed the ogre have entered the inner area?”

“Judging by the timing, it’s possible. But we also need to consider the possibility that the monster might rush back to the outskirts.”

True to its name, the Forest of Chaos wouldn’t be strange even if all sorts of monsters appeared. Serah began jotting down her findings in her notebook.

Meanwhile, Luna looked around. Perhaps because it was the outskirts, the forest itself seemed utterly ordinary.

The inner area was the same. She had only entered it once before, but it was no different from a regular forest.

Even so, the fact that an ogre from the Northern Region had traveled this far showed the forest’s immense influence. This puzzled Luna.

‘Can it adapt to such a different environment?’

This thought came to her after hearing Serah’s explanation. Monsters and animals have inherent habits.

Some prefer humid environments, while others thrive in dry ones.

In most cases, they don’t leave their preferred habitats. They tend to live their entire lives where they were born.

The same goes for migratory birds. While they travel to various regions depending on the season, they don’t stray from their habits.

“Professor, may I ask a question?”

“Questions are always welcome. What is it?”

“Why are monsters and beasts drawn to the Forest of Chaos? Normally, they’d avoid it since the environment is so different.”

“That’s an excellent question.”

Serah closed her notebook and gave a gentle smile, indicating she was quite pleased.

She then gathered the students and informed them they would leave the area. Staying too long might attract other monsters.

“As you said, most animals don’t leave the environments where they were born and raised. This naturally forms their habits.”

Luna’s team began moving away from the ogre. Soon, the beast would deal with the ogre’s remains.

“But the Forest of Chaos is different. The abundance of mana means an abundance of food. All animals will do whatever it takes to fill their stomachs.”

“Just for food? That seems a bit…”

“Student Luna.”

“Yes?”

Noticing Luna’s doubtful reaction, Serah called her name in a serious tone.

She then spoke in a firm voice, as if to emphasize the harsh reality.

“Even humans frequently wage wars over food. To sustain life, food—meaning sustenance—is absolutely essential.”

“··· ···”

“Currently, the Forest of Chaos is without its king, who monopolized the food supply. Becoming the king means never having to worry about food for life. Do you understand how terrifying hunger can be?”

“······A little, yes.”

Luna thought of the village where she had lived. It was a self-sufficient place, relying on farming and various other tasks.

However, during a famine, food supplies would become severely insufficient. Although they bought food from outside, their dining tables inevitably became sparse.

How much worse must it have been in the Northern Region, known for its year-round harsh cold? As if reading her thoughts, Serah shared the history of her homeland, Frozen.

“Frozen suffered such extreme food shortages that it resorted to plundering. Luckily, the discovery of rare ores allowed the establishment of a nation. Had food been abundant, there would have been no need for plunder.”

“Like the Tatars, then.”

“Exactly. It’s no exaggeration to say that all conflicts, whether between humans or other living beings, stem from food. Fortunately, humans can somewhat resolve food crises through farming, but the wild is different.”

Farming is both the alpha and omega of civilization. Without it, humans would live no differently than beasts.

Humans and animals alike can only function properly when well-fed. When starving, they become endlessly ferocious.

Thus, it’s only natural for creatures to be drawn to the food-rich Forest of Chaos.

“This is also why predators are gathering one after another. Predators require a substantial amount of food, and the Forest of Chaos can meet that need. In fact, it exceeds it to the point of abundance.”

“Then······”

Luna paused to think. It wasn’t surprising that already strong predators would grow even stronger.

However, she found it puzzling how prey, especially weak animals like squirrels, could grow stronger. How had Ratatoskr become so powerful?

At least Sivar had been human, with a high growth potential. But she couldn’t understand Ratatoskr’s case.

“Can prey also grow stronger?”

“It’s possible, even outside the Forest of Chaos. The forest simply increases the frequency. There’s even an old tale of a squirrel defeating a bear.”

That wasn’t a rumor—it was the truth. But it seemed so unbelievable that people treated it as mere hearsay.

“The wild isn’t a place where the strong survive; it’s where survivors become strong. Just as humans grow stronger after overcoming crises, animals are the same. The Forest of Chaos provides more than enough energy for survival. If this process repeats, even prey can become predators.”

“I see. So, in the end, it all comes back to food being the most important thing.”

“You’ve grasped the main point well. Sivar likely became the top predator through this very process.”

It seemed the professors also attributed the Forest of Chaos’s strange behavior to Sivar’s absence. In truth, it was due to the absence of both Sivar and Porori.

Not just one, but two figures had disappeared—beings who had divided the territory between them. Their absence had triggered a massive butterfly effect.

“But it’s a bit odd. The disappearance of a single predator wouldn’t usually cause such chaos. The food chain competition is unusually intense.”

“Are you saying it wasn’t always this bad?”

“Monsters being pushed to the outskirts happened occasionally. Though it had been quiet in recent years, it used to occur frequently. However, according to records, it was never this excessive.”

Even the traces Luna’s team had found were approaching ten instances. Various monsters and animals, including ogres, were among them.

They were finding monsters pushed to the outskirts at a rate of once every five minutes. The number was far too high.

‘It really must be because of those two.’

The territories, once divided into two, had been unified due to the kings’ disappearance. Now, an opportunity had arisen to claim the unified territory.

Who could possibly resist such a chance? It was a golden opportunity to seize such vast lands.

“Perhaps the predator directly below Sivar eliminated its rival before Sivar’s arrival. I’ll have to ask about this later.”

“··· ···”

There was once a rival—a squirrel. That squirrel, now a spirit beast, was currently working with them.

Luna barely managed to swallow the words rising in her throat. If this report reached Rod, he would surely catch on immediately.

For the time being, even entering the Forest of Chaos would likely be difficult. Venturing deep inside was out of the question.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“I don’t know. It’s a beast I’ve never seen before.”

While Luna was inwardly smirking, the students following behind seemed to have discovered something.

At this, both Luna and Serah turned their heads to look. Three of them were huddled together, staring at something.

“Kuuu······!”

“Does anyone know who this is?”

“I don’t. It looks really tough.”

“Just in case, let’s step back a little.”

It was about the size of a calf, its surface covered in a Hard Outer Shell that exuded an air of impenetrability.

Its four legs, thick and sturdy like pillars, supported its heavy Body Shape with ease.

Finally, two blade-like appendages protruded from the area connecting its face to its torso, resembling arms.

It looked like a massive Beast straight out of some intergalactic war.

“Step back quickly! It’s a Young Usk!”

“What?”

As the students, startled by its unfamiliar appearance, hesitated and began to retreat, Serah, who noticed it belatedly, shouted urgently.

But it was just before the students could react to her cry.

“Kuaaa!”

Unfortunately, the Beast called the Usk seemed to have already been provoked beyond reason.

The Young Usk didn’t charge immediately but instead let out a Roar toward the sky. It was as if it were calling someone, its voice loud and resonant.

Upon hearing the Roar, Serah’s face turned pale. For someone whose Expression rarely changed, this was an unusually strong reaction.

Quickly regaining her composure, she issued instructions to the students.

“Everyone, return to the Academy! Don’t look back, just ru······!”

Before Serah could even finish her command.

-Kuuuuuuu!!

As if responding to the Youngling’s cry, a deafening Roar echoed through the forest, shaking it to its core.

The sound was so loud that the birds in the forest took off in fright, flying high into the sky. It was akin to the blare of a ship’s horn.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Following the Roar, the ground began to tremble as if an Earthquake had struck. Luna felt the vibrations and was visibly flustered.

The mere approach of something was enough to shake the entire ground. Just how massive and heavy could it be?

But now was not the time to evaluate. Having heard Serah’s instructions, running away was the best option.

Crash! Crack! Snap!

The problem was that the Youngling’s mother was approaching at an even faster pace. The moment Serah heard the sound of trees breaking, she unsheathed her sword without hesitation.

Meanwhile, the Youngling fled in the direction its mother was coming from. Despite its heavy appearance, it moved with surprising speed.

Crunch!

Finally, as Serah gathered the students together, the Youngling’s mother emerged, smashing through the forest trees.

“W-What is that······?”

“Will a sword even work on it?”

“Hmm······”

It was far larger than the Youngling, with even longer blades. Unlike the Youngling’s somewhat cute appearance, its face was menacing.

Its appearance was closer to that of a Monster than a Beast. Being crushed under those massive legs would surely mean instant death.

“Kuu! Kuu!”

“Grrrr······!”

Thankfully, the mother Usk, having found its Youngling, didn’t attack recklessly. It seemed to prioritize the Youngling’s safety.

Serah swallowed nervously, her tense Expression betraying her thoughts. Even she seemed to acknowledge that the Usk wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

She then whispered quietly so only the students could hear.

“The Usk won’t attack unless provoked first. Back away slowly.”

“Is subjugation impossible?”

It was Luna’s question. Even though its Hard Outer Shell looked tough, it didn’t seem entirely impossible to subjugate.

But that was a grave misjudgment. Serah, unusually, scolded her and explained the reason for retreating.

“If you want to end up like that Ogre that was sliced in half earlier, go ahead. Besides, unless you break through that exoskeleton, cutting it is nearly impossible. Only someone like the Headmaster could manage it.”

“··· ···”

“So, before we incur unnecessary losses, it’s better to retreat······”

Before Serah could finish her sentence, the mother Usk began to relax its guard, noticing that Luna’s team was retreating.

However, an incident occurred that heightened its wariness to an extreme.

Crash!

An axe suddenly flew through the air, embedding itself near the mother Usk’s head.

It was an axe imbued with Red Lightning. There was no doubt who its owner was.

“That crazy bastard······!”

At the sight, a curse escaped from Serah’s lips.