A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

The ultimate goal of the midterm exam was to be the last team standing.

Even as the test took odd twists and turns, that fundamental goal remained unchanged.

Whether it was because of the chaos I brought to the game or because I gulped down the artifact, the result was the same.

In fact, the situation became more intriguing because of me ingesting the artifact. Now, it was every team for themselves, with no clear advantage.

Our team had to disqualify all other teams before the artifact in my stomach dissolved completely.

The other teams had to use all sorts of tactics to survive until either our team or theirs was disqualified.

So, what was my immediate role? Simple.

"Aaaargh!"

It was to grab people and throw them out of the mana field.

The moment I swallowed the artifact, the mana field became highly restricted, and stepping outside meant instant disqualification.

Timing it, it seemed you would only need to be outside for about 3 seconds to be disqualified. Consequently, everyone was desperate not to be caught by me.

"People are being thrown around like a ball? How strong is he?!"

"Just hang on and endure!"

Once caught, being thrown outside the mana field was a given. Thus, other teams opted to hold out rather than fight.

The underlying objective remained the same, but the theme had turned into a game of tag.

Originally, teams were supposed to disqualify each other, but for now, they seemed to have agreed to deal with me first.

"Hey! Stay put! Or you won't know what'll happen to your team!"

"This, this cowardice…!"

Perhaps too engrossed in this game of tag, I made a blunder and failed to pay attention to Grace.

The one who took Grace hostage was none other than Antonio, who, true to his nature, did not shy away from any means for victory.

He had appointed Yeonhwa as a guardian, but she was currently entangled in combat with someone else.

Apparently, Antonio had at least one more person on his side.

‘I could easily protect her if I showed my true strength…'

But given the predicament, there was no helping it. Not being disqualified was enough for now.

I glared at Antonio, who was threatening Grace's neck with his dagger, and then cast a look around.

Seizing the opportunity for a temporary distraction, everyone stopped and watched, waiting to see how things would unfold.

"Sivar! Don't worry about me, just take out the other teams…!"

No. There was no need for that.

I crouched slightly, taking on a ready stance, then surged forward like a coil spring released.

Antonio, caught off guard by my silent charge, was evidently shaken by surprise.

Just as his hand moved, I reached out without hesitation and easily seized the dagger.

Crunch!

The blade crumbled like paper under the grip of my hand. Not giving Antonio a chance to recover, I immediately grasped his face.

Having large hands had its perks; it allowed me to grab Antonio's face with ease.

"Argh! Th-this…!"

Before he could even yell to let go, I had already flung Antonio outside the mana field.

Having taken Grace hostage amplified his guilt, so I threw him with even greater force than I would others.

Crash!

Ultimately, Antonio slammed into a house far off. Whether he was badly hurt or not wasn’t my concern.

Dusting off my hands, I turned to Grace, who looked utterly bewildered by the suddenness of what had happened.

"Are you okay?"

"…Ah? Yes, yes! I’m, I’m fine! Thank you."

"Yeah."

Receiving thanks from Grace, I glanced over at Yeonhwa. She had managed to disqualify her adversary by cunningly using the mana field.

With Antonio's team disqualified, there were not many people left. I looked around.

The last ones standing were Luna and Kara. Elvin had already been disqualified due to mana field issues.

[The artifact is severely damaged! Immediate action required!]

Warnings of the artifact's peril sounded from my belly. Upon hearing that alert, I quickly checked my bracelet.

[Artifact: 20%]

I hadn't paid much attention while disqualifying the other teams, but now we were in a critical state.

The rate of digestion seemed to speed up as time went on. By rough estimation, we had about 1 minute and 30 seconds remaining.

‘No time for delay, then.'

Lingering any longer might actually lead to disqualification. Not that it mattered too much.

But losing for such a ludicrous reason would be annoying. There's a strange feeling about it.

I chose Kara as my first target. As I charged towards her, she immediately sidestepped.

Luna, on the other hand, just watched. Seeing I was targeting Kara, she seemed slightly relieved.

But that was her mistake. I swiftly spun around to change the target.

"Huh?"

Luna's eyes widened in shock as our gazes met. She was quite taken aback as I switched my focus to her.

But her failure to move out of the way was her flaw. She was just as unassuming as ever.

I extended my hand toward the flustered Luna to grab her wrist. Or at least, I would have.

"Eek…!"

If she hadn’t thrown herself at me resignedly before I could catch her.

Luna clung to me limply, even dropping her weapon—a scene that could easily be mistaken for an embrace from afar.

Crack!

It was awkward enough being in a hug, but she took it a step further.

Determined not to be thrown off, she intertwined her hands behind my back, finally burying her face against my chest.

Though our pose could provoke misunderstandings, the urgency of the situation probably didn't allow for such interpretations.

"Let go."

"No way! I won’t!"

Luna redoubled her efforts to cling on as I tried to peel her off. It seemed she was bent on hanging on until I was disqualified.

However, I had no intention of standing idly by. A straightforward push was all it took to deal with her.

"Hup!"

Thump!

Before someone jumped on my back, threatening to tip the balance and nearly bringing me down.

"The mana field moves with you as the center, right? So if I stick with you, I'll be safe!"

It was Kara. Observing Luna's tactics, she decided to latch onto my back.

The warmth from both sides presented a peculiar sensation, but the urgency of the situation outweighed any quirks.

As I tried to detach Luna from the front, Kara pulled from behind, complicating things.

"Come on, get off me!"

"Nnngh…!"

Finally fed up, Grace and Yeonhwa strained to pull off the two who were latched on like leeches.

If it were up to me, I would use magic or a dagger, but it was difficult given the familiarity with the people involved.

The only thing I could do was to enhance my body with magic. However, due to the fundamental difference in physical abilities, it was a fruitless effort.

"Better step away before I use magic."

"Go ahead. I can take it. A little pain won’t stop me."

Kara seemed undisturbed by the threat. If anything, she hugged me tighter the more I attempted to free myself.

The tighter grip made the cushy feeling all the more evident. I couldn't help but suspect if she was doing this deliberately.

‘That can't be it.'

Regardless, I struggled to free myself. Honestly, shaking them off wouldn't take much effort.

Back when I lived in the forest, I had been ambushed by wolves. I thought I was a goner that time.

Anyway, getting out of this type of bind was easy. All I had to do was jump high into the sky.

Or I could release mana to forcibly remove them. These were the best solutions.

Crack!

But there was the issue of Luna, who clung on like an old cicada, even wrapping her legs around me.

I was at a loss for words. How desperate must she be to act like a child in such a situation?

I wanted to unleash my mana but refrained from doing so—it would cause the others serious harm.

Stretch…

"Eeee…"

Annoyed, I stretched her cheek like mochi. Luna's pretty face distorted, but she held on, despite what must've been considerable pain.

"Let go."

"No way…"

Stubborn to the core. As I toyed with Luna's elastic cheek, I took the initiative.

Firstly, I used my free arm to forcefully unbind my torso from her legs.

Grip!

"No. Wait."

Just as they were freed, she jumped and clung to me again. I couldn't help but voice my frustration.

To make matters worse, Kara had clung to my back, almost embracing me. Her arms wound tightly around my neck.

"Hold on, Luna! This way, he'll be disqualified!"

"Okay!"

"Get off already!"

"Eeek! What strength…!"

Caught off-guard by their unexpected tactic(?), I made my decision.

I felt a little sorry for Luna, but I could compensate her with clothes later. So, I promptly took action.

Grip!

First, I forcefully shoved off Luna, clinging to me. Despite her struggle, she couldn't overcome my strength.

Subsequently, as Luna became slightly detached, there was a bit of space created.

I took this opportunity to prevent her from clinging again by inserting my arm into the gap.

Whoosh!

"Wut?!"

Next, I used the inserted arm to grab Luna’s face.

Unlike Antonio, I didn’t clasp her entire face—just around her mouth, making her lips protrude like a fish.

Seeing such a pretty face become distorted was, frankly, a bit humorous. Without hesitation, I grabbed the legs wrapped around my torso.

Whoosh!

"Agh!"

If they were all detached, the next step was simple. Just hurl Luna outside of the mana field.

She screamed shrilly as she was flung outside the field. I pitched her in such a way that being disqualified was guaranteed.

Now, only Kara clung to my back. I reached out to her since she was almost embracing me.

"Keep still, and I'll buy you candy."

Hesitation—

At that moment, a whisper from Kara reached my ears. It was a subtle but alluring voice.

"The Principal will give you an earful after today’s test, won’t he? He might even ask the Saintess to ensure you can't have candy."

"What, what are you talking about…?"

Amidst Kara's seductive enticement, Grace looked utterly baffled. The expression on her face said it all—did she really think that feeble attempt would work?

"I’ll cover for you, then. Candy and all. How about it?"

"Really?"

Yes. It worked.

Forget the test, it was sweet treats like candy that were more important to me now.

Above all, Kara hadn't said she would lend me money. She had clearly stated she would buy it.

Rejecting food offered by Kara, meticulous and stingy with money, wouldn't be a wise decision.

Besides, once the test was over, I was going to be scolded by Rod. Having her cover for me wasn't an easy choice.

"Sivar! If you fall for that, what are we going to do?"

"I know Sivar better than you."

"I… I also want candy…!"

Screech!

Before Grace had time to say anything, a strange squeal pierced my ears.

"Burp."

Almost reflexively, a light burp escaped my lips—a sign that previous meals had digested.

And indeed—

[The artifact has been destroyed. The owner and their team are automatically disqualified.]

[The test is now concluded. Well done, students.]

The artifact that was in my stomach had dissolved entirely. Had it not been for Kara's temptation, our team would have emerged victorious.

Even after the announcement, Kara didn't let go of my back. Instead, she playfully kneaded my cheek, her voice oozing contentment.

"How cute; you're really adorable. I didn't expect you to seriously consider it."

"Will you buy it for me?"

I tilted my head up to face Kara. The familiar refreshing smile radiated on her face.

Kara chuckled softly in response, then nodded, giving her assent.

"Of course. Just tell me when you want it. I'll buy you all you desire. No sneaking around anymore—I'll buy them openly."

"Oh."

I appreciated that. As my lips formed a circle and I let out a sound of surprise, Kara smiled.

Meanwhile, Grace, who had been observing our interaction, let out a quiet snicker.

"…It was my mistake. I should have said it to Sivar earlier."

"Said what?"

"If you followed my advice, I would not only buy you candy but also cake."

"…Should I actually call that a mistake?"

"In the East, there is a saying: If you know yourself and your enemy, you can win every battle. It was my mistake not to assess my team properly."

"…"

With that, the tumultuous test came to an end.

[Your faith is rising!]

It appears that even Chaos to some extent was satisfied.

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