A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 24

One of the greatest turning points in Soul World and the episode that sets the overall difficulty: the Academy Collapse.

The demons have been plotting the Academy’s overthrow for quite some time, and one of their methods is the Colorless Magic Circle.

At first glance, the Colorless Magic Circle appears to be nothing more than a decorative pattern. Even if discovered by chance, it is often overlooked.

Only one person, the protagonist, can instantly identify the Colorless Magic Circle.

‘It was part of the setting that they received special eyes from the gods.’

Through this, they can discern the grade and effects of items in advance.

However, it doesn’t reveal everything unconditionally; a certain amount of information is required to fully understand it.

At this point, even if the Colorless Magic Circle is discovered, one would only know it’s the work of demons, not its specific purpose.

‘Its primary purpose is communication disruption and magic activation.’

Normally, such magic would be completely blocked by the Memorial Tower. This is the main reason the Memorial Tower was erected.

Thus, the demons first neutralize the Memorial Tower. Only then does the frenzied party begin.

To stop them as much as possible, the magic circles installed throughout the Academy must be destroyed.

‘I wonder if Luna has noticed?’

Judging by her stiffened expression when she glanced at the clock, I’m half sure she has.

From now on, she’ll likely be running around trying to find the Colorless Magic Circles. But it won’t be easy to locate them.

Especially since one of the magic circles is installed in a completely unexpected location. This caused quite a bit of discussion.

“Martial arts, including boxing and wrestling, are not just about techniques but are optimized for improving overall movement. Even in a brawl, these two alone are incredibly useful.”

Anyway, let’s move past the topic of magic circles.

Kara, who had agreed to teach me the basics of combat and wrestling, began with a theoretical explanation.

Meanwhile, Luna was fully focused on her swordsmanship training nearby. True to her earlier words, she had refused any instruction.

However, it seemed she couldn’t help but be curious, as she occasionally glanced at us out of the corner of her eye.

“Even with this explanation, it might be hard to understand. Let me give you an example. Imagine someone throws a punch at you like this.”

Kara slowly extended her fist toward me. Without thinking, I instinctively stepped back.

In the wilderness, when hunting, I would evade attacks by creating distance. It’s the safest method.

Thud—

Eventually, Kara’s fist stopped right in front of my nose.

Having hunted beasts and monsters of various sizes, I had mastered the art of gauging distance.

Kara seemed pleased with my reaction, smiling faintly and nodding.

“You can evade by gauging distance like you just did. That’s one way. But you can’t keep dodging forever, can you? Now, try throwing a punch yourself. Oh, and do it slowly, like I did.”

It seemed the impression I left by throwing my sword earlier was still vivid. Her cautious tone confirmed it.

Swoosh—

Following her instructions, I slowly extended my fist.

Instead of stepping back like I did, Kara avoided it by subtly moving her head.

“And then, right here—bam!”

She shouted as she slowly placed her fist against my side.

A counterattack executed immediately after evasion. This is what’s commonly referred to as a counter.

“How is it? Do you get it?”

“F*ck.”

“A simple nod will do for things like this. If you don’t understand, shake your head side to side.”

I nodded to indicate I understood. I had grasped it well enough.

Kara grinned at my response and continued her explanation with an excited tone.

“Combine this with footwork, or movement of the feet, and you’ve got it. It looks simple, but mastering it is tough.”

She was right. Even in Soul World, such things weren’t classified as ‘techniques.’

They’re the most basic of basics, so their effectiveness depends on the player’s skill.

Combat supports these fundamentals significantly, but the basics themselves inevitably vary from person to person.

“To do this instinctively without conscious effort, you’ll need consistent practice. You might pick it up quickly, though. You were pretty good during the sparring session.”

“F*ck.”

“That’s your way of saying thanks, right? Now that you’ve got the basics down, let’s dig a little deeper.”

Kara sincerely taught me combat techniques, even as her sparring partner.

However, the focus was on defense and evasion rather than offensive techniques like punches, kicks, or grappling.

Since she was only teaching the most basic fundamentals, she emphasized that defense was more important than offense.

Besides, my physical abilities were already well-developed, so there was no need for additional training; she could focus solely on teaching techniques.

“It’s usually better to use a weapon. Don’t stubbornly insist on fighting barehanded like some kind of pervert. There’s a reason people use weapons.”

She even made sure to prevent me from developing any strange notions.

As she said, unless one aspires to be a martial artist, it’s better to use weapons.

‘After all, combat is just a tool to use when a fight breaks out.’

In Soul World, due to its clunky controls, the player’s skill is the most important factor.

Even if you acquire various techniques, you need to use them appropriately to clear the game more easily.

My efforts to acquire techniques are also to expand my range of options. It’ll make things more manageable.

Since this is reality, personal skill will be even more crucial, in addition to techniques.

“Use your waist… Yes, that’s it. You’re doing well. As I’ve emphasized repeatedly, the waist and feet are the most important. Let’s move on to a more advanced stage.”

Once Kara sensed I had grasped the basics, she brought out a training sword.

Whoosh!

She thrust it toward my face at high speed.

Although the attack had no warning, I easily dodged it with my quick reflexes.

In the past, I would’ve evaded by stepping back. Now, I only moved my head.

Swish! Swoosh! Whoosh!

As Kara swung and thrust the sword wildly, I smoothly avoided her attacks.

I utilized my waist as much as possible, moved my feet lightly, and added my Wild Instinct.

With these combined, I dodged every attack without any unnecessary movement.

“Wow! You’re really good! Is it because you’ve lived in the wilderness?”

After swinging the sword for ten minutes, Kara genuinely expressed her admiration. Her vivid green eyes sparkled brightly.

It was only natural for her to be impressed, as I applied what she taught me exactly as instructed.

Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult. Living in the wilderness had ingrained evasion into my body.

What Kara taught me was a kind of ‘efficiency.’ Not just evasion, but the ability to counterattack immediately.

Even this alone was a huge benefit for me. I’ll make sure to repay her someday.

“There are still some areas you’re lacking in, but since this is advanced material, we’ll skip over it. Now, what’s left are offensive techniques, but…”

Kara trailed off for a moment, glancing toward Luna.

Luna, as if she had never been curious about us, was fully immersed in her personal training.

She repeatedly swung her training sword downward, sweat dripping from her, indicating she had been at it for quite some time.

“It’d be a bit much to ask her. Hmm…”

Kara, seemingly unwilling to disturb Luna’s focus, looked around elsewhere.

Then, as if she had spotted a perfect prey—no, target—her face lit up as she called out.

“Hey, blond hair!”

Her voice echoed loudly, like a reverberating shout.

The training ground, structured like a gymnasium, amplified her voice.

“Blond? Isn’t she talking about you?”

“Who knows?”

“Is it me? Why would she be calling me? There’s no reason for her to.”

At her shout, Luna and the other blond-haired individuals turned to look at Kara. There were quite a few blond-haired people.

Kara, realizing her mistake a bit too late, made an “oops” expression.

Moments like these revealed her slightly scatterbrained side. It could be considered part of her charm.

Embarrassed, Kara briefly looked away before correcting herself and shouting again.

“Sivar’s guardian!”

“…”

At her words, the expression of the blond-haired person she had singled out stiffened slightly.

It was Elvin, who had entered the training ground at just the right moment. He seemed to have caught Kara’s eye while passing by.

With everyone’s attention on him, Elvin reluctantly walked toward us.

His expression clearly showed his displeasure, but the fact that he didn’t ignore her indicated he wasn’t entirely uncooperative.

“What do you want?”

Elvin, who had approached us, glanced at me briefly and asked about the matter.

I also didn’t know why Kara had called him. She said she was teaching me combat techniques, so why would she need Elvin?

“It’s nothing major. I just wanted to ask for your help. I was teaching this one how to fight.”

“Combat?”

At the mention of teaching combat, Elvin’s expression turned incredulous.

The way he looked at me seemed to convey feelings that couldn’t be put into words.

“You know this kind of thing usually requires two skilled individuals, right? You’re a noble, so you must be familiar with basic combat.”

“…I do know it, but couldn’t you ask Luna instead?”

“She doesn’t know. She said she hasn’t even learned grappling, let alone combat.”

At those words, Elvin widened his eyes and looked at Luna. Luna turned her head away, pretending not to notice.

Elvin, wearing a surprised expression, muttered softly.

“That’s unexpected. She’s the top student, yet she doesn’t know basic combat…”

“She must have skills that make up for it. So, will you help?”

“…Since I’m her guardian, I’ll help for now.”

Elvin reluctantly agreed. Skipping lunch was one thing, but this was harder to avoid.

Anyway, with an excellent assistant(?) now on board, Kara handed over the mitts she had somehow procured to Elvin.

Finding the situation absurd, Elvin chuckled as he put on the mitts. It was proceeding as smoothly as a snake slithering over a wall.

“First, I’ll teach you the most basic punch. Clench your fist like this.”

Kara showed me her tightly clenched fist.

Even though it was just a clenched fist, it exuded a sense of steely firmness.

I stared blankly at her well-trained fist before slowly clenching my own.

My hands were quite large, so even just clenching them made them look enormous.

“Wow. If that lands properly, someone’s going to be out cold. It’s definitely different from your face.”

“It’s fortunate that I didn’t get hit by that.”

Even Kara seemed impressed, and Elvin, who had sparred with me, looked relieved.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve hardly ever clenched my fist before.’

Back when I lived in the forest, I mostly used stone axes or stone spears, and even when fighting barehanded, I didn’t clench my fists.

Using mana was more effective than clenching my fists. I might show this to Kara during our sparring sessions soon.

“Watch carefully. When throwing a punch, the rotation of your waist and shoulders is important. Like this.”

Thud!

Kara rotated her waist and shoulders, delivering a powerful punch.

At the same time, Elvin’s arm, which was holding the mitt near his face, was flung backward.

He seemed to have slightly pulled his arm back to absorb the impact, but judging by his crumpled expression, it didn’t go well.

“You can throw a strong punch like this, or use light taps for restraint. Watch closely.”

“Could you go a bit easier, please?”

“Got it.”

Kara complied with Elvin’s request and struck the mitt at a slower speed than before.

She lightly tapped it a few times, then twisted her waist to deliver a strong punch.

Being an expert in this field, she made it look incredibly easy just by demonstrating.

“That’s about it for punches. While fighting styles may vary, using your waist and shoulders is a common principle.”

“What kind of combat techniques does the Tatar Tribe teach?”

“It’s probably not much different from your Empire’s. It’s just practical combat-focused.”

That wasn’t wrong. It was just slightly different in its approach.

The Tatars, being a rather harsh nation, mostly specialized in practical martial techniques.

Each warrior was a combat specialist, knowing how to use their techniques effectively in any situation.

‘There’s a reason it’s considered a high-level area.’

It wasn’t just their level; their patterns were downright nasty.

Fighting them, whether monsters or humans, was insanely difficult.

Especially Kara’s father, the King of the Tatars… Let’s not even talk about him. Running away is the best option.

“Alright. Now, why don’t you try throwing a punch like I just did?”

“Wait, am I the one holding the mitts?”

“It’s a hassle to keep taking them off and putting them on. Just do it. You’re her guardian, after all.”

“Hmm…”

Though dissatisfied, Elvin obediently complied with her request.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to be questioning if this was the right thing to do.

In the game, it took several events for him to reform, so it’s better for him to struggle now.

‘Rotate the waist and shoulders…’

Before hitting the mitt, I mimicked Kara’s movements.

Having fought purely on instinct until now, moving while thinking felt awkward.

It seemed easy when Kara did it, but doing it myself was challenging.

‘Then swing the fist as it is.’

I was a complete beginner who hadn’t even built a foundation yet. So, it was fine to make mistakes.

I looked at the mitt, tilted diagonally near Elvin’s head, and pulled my arm back.

Then, I smoothly rotated my waist and shoulders, striking the mitt with my fist.

“Oh, wait. I told you to go easy…”

Kara tried to stop me belatedly, but it was already too late.

Still, I had held back my strength, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

Boom!

A loud explosion-like sound erupted from the mitt I had struck.

Thud!

Elvin’s arm recoiled with an ominous noise before I could even process what had happened.

The incident happened so quickly that even Elvin didn’t realize what had occurred.

Swing—Swing—

“…Huh?”

Elvin blinked and looked at his right arm.

His arm was dangling like a pendulum, oscillating back and forth.

With just one strike, Elvin’s arm had been dislocated. And I had even controlled my strength.

“…”

Did it happen so quickly that he didn’t feel pain? Or was it so cleanly dislocated that he couldn’t sense it?

Elvin’s handsome face turned blank as he blinked in confusion.

His lack of situational awareness, one of his weaknesses, was on full display.

“…Elvin?”

“…Huh?”

“Um… Your arm is dislocated…”

Luna, who had paused her training upon hearing the loud noise, quietly pointed it out.

Elvin stared blankly at his dangling arm after hearing her comment.

“…Oh, really?”

“…”

“Why did it get dislocated?”

He still seemed unable to grasp the situation.

*****

Elvin, whose shoulder had been dislocated by Sivar’s punch, was immediately taken to the hospital.

He was so dumbfounded that he remained in a daze even during the transport.

Fortunately, since it was such a clean dislocation, putting it back in place shouldn’t be too difficult.

However, depending on his condition, he might not be able to participate in the upcoming sparring session. That would be quite critical.

“Sigh.”

Luna let out a deep sigh. Sivar had caused two accidents just today.

Both incidents had occurred because he hadn’t communicated in advance.

It was a moment of realizing that being somewhat communicative and actually speaking were two entirely different things.

‘At least he seems to know what he did wrong.’

She stared at Sivar, who stood there blankly.

His expression remained emotionless, but his bright red eyes darted around nervously. It was clear he was trying to gauge the situation.

Judging by his behavior, he seemed to understand what he had done wrong. Even that was a significant improvement.

“Don’t be so nervous. This kind of thing is usually called an accident, you know? Got it?”

At that moment, Kara patted Sivar on the shoulder, offering him some comfort.

Luna frowned slightly as she watched the scene. What if he ended up adopting the wrong kind of common sense?

She needed to ensure that Sivar didn’t use his strength recklessly.

If left unchecked, he might start wielding it under the pretext of “accidents.”

“Kara, before anything else, he needs to apologize. It’s still an accident, but someone got hurt because of it.”

“Ah, you’re right. Did you hear that?”

“··· ···”

Sivar didn’t respond and just stared blankly. His expression suggested he didn’t quite understand.

Seeing his face, Kara made a peculiar expression before asking in a doubtful tone,

“You don’t happen to not know what an apology is, do you?”

Sivar shook his head. Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Then just apologize later. You do understand what you did wrong, right?”

Sivar nodded. Luna smiled in satisfaction at his response.

It seemed Ellie had done a good job teaching him. There was still a long way to go, but this was already a big step forward······

“Alright. That’s good enough. Judging by the looks of it, you’re not very good at controlling your strength, so I’ll help you with that from now on.”

“······?”

Something felt off. Luna blinked and then looked at Kara.

Didn’t that statement imply that Kara intended to stick around with Sivar from now on?

“Hey. The entrance fe······ No, Luna.”

Just as Luna was starting to feel confused, Kara shifted her gaze from Sivar to her.

Then, with a wide grin that revealed her white teeth, Kara made a request.

“Could I also become his guardian?”

“··· ···”

“It’d be convenient, you know, since I could help with his training and all. We’ll probably be spending a lot of time together anyway.”

Luna’s mind began to race.

A combination of a barbarian and a wildling. If there was ever a fitting pair, this was it.

But Kara’s way of doing things was the problem. She was someone who resorted to violence the moment she felt insulted.

If Sivar started mimicking Kara’s behavior······

‘That can never happen!’

That would be a disaster. Especially after witnessing Sivar’s strength earlier, the thought became even more alarming.

If Sivar ever used violence just because someone insulted him, it wouldn’t be mere violence—it would be murder.

As she had repeatedly emphasized, violence should never be taken lightly.

This wasn’t the wilderness, where survival of the fittest ruled; this was “civilization.”

“No, absolutely not.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Because you resort to violence far too easily, Kara. Imagine if Sivar started copying that.”

“··· ···”

Kara scratched her cheek at Luna’s reasonable argument.

However, perhaps feeling a bit wronged, she offered a half-hearted excuse.

“I don’t like using force either. It’s just that they insulted me first.”

“Resorting to fists just because of an insult is wrong.”

“You’re so strict. But now that I think about it······”

Kara pretended to concede but then grinned mischievously. That smile naturally made Luna feel uneasy.

In the meantime, Kara delivered a pointed remark that left Luna flustered.

“Why do I need your permission for this?”

“What?”

“I just need the Chancellor’s approval, don’t I?”

“··· ···”

Luna’s jaw dropped. Kara’s words didn’t just hit the mark—they pierced right through it.

The person who had designated Sivar’s guardian was the Chancellor, Rod. If he gave his approval, Kara could also become a guardian.

Moreover, if she framed it as part of his training, Rod would likely agree without hesitation.

“Take me to the Chancellor this weekend, alright? In the meantime, I’ll teach him diligently.”

“··· ···”

Kara patted Luna’s stiffened shoulder before walking back toward Sivar.

Although there had been a brief commotion, the training wasn’t over yet. Kara resumed instructing Sivar.

Luna watched them blankly. Her mind was already a mess, and now it seemed like things would only get more complicated.

‘······Damn.’

She was someone who rarely cursed, even in her thoughts.

‘Nothing’s going my way.’

But this time, she couldn’t help but let out a silent curse.