A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 92

If there’s one thing that’s crucial in a Battle Royale, it’s “position.”

In the game, you’re usually only informed of your own team’s position, and you have to figure out the positions of other teams on your own.

This uncertainty is why the concept of “camping strategy” exists, and it’s also why players are extremely sensitive to sound and direction.

For this reason, among all the hacks available, the ones that reveal positions are in the highest demand. Knowing the opponent’s position alone can secure an advantageous spot.

“Two people here. Three people here. And finally, three people here.”

“I see. That means we’re right in the middle of it all.”

After wandering around to gather answers, we confirmed that we were indeed right in the center.

Of course, the position might change with the next Mana Field, and it might have already shifted by now. But the difference shouldn’t be too significant.

Upon closely observing other teams, most of them seemed to be camping as well. Once eliminated, you can’t revive unless you have a companion.

This naturally forces everyone to be as cautious as possible, leading to strategies where teams bunker down in one house.

“But why does each team have only two or three members instead of four? Is it because someone is out scouting?”

Grace, who had marked the map, asked with curiosity. Normally, teams consist of four or three members as a standard.

However, the teams I mentioned had, at most, three members. Teams with four members were virtually nonexistent.

“Me.”

“What?”

“I did it.”

Naturally, it was all my doing. I had tailed the scouts, abducted them cleanly, and extracted the answers.

There were various methods to extract answers. The easiest way was using water, but I also used fire.

Tying them tightly to a chair and setting fire to their thighs made them spill the answers effortlessly.

The same applied when eliminating them. If they didn’t want to be eliminated, I made sure they gave positive answers in various ways.

‘I won’t need counseling for this later, right?’

Since I lacked attack rights, I had to make the most of what I could. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the professor who imposed such restrictions.

Moreover, this trial could be educational in many ways, considering the severe stress it imposed on the students.

The only regret is that I couldn’t use a human bomb. If I had managed that, the trial would’ve been much easier.

“I see. That means the other teams can barely scout… We can secure an advantageous position.”

To figure out positions, you either have to listen for sounds or scout. But since I eliminated all the scouts, that would be difficult.

Moving carelessly is dangerous, but staying still is equally risky. And then there’s the shrinking Mana Field.

Grace stared at the map for a while, then nodded and pointed to one spot.

“Let’s head here first. We’ll need to check how far the Mana Field shrinks, but it’s better to move further inward.”

“B-But this spot seems like it’ll attract a lot of people.”

Lee Yeonju was right. Depending on where the Mana Field shrinks, we might have to engage head-on.

And that could mean facing more than four teams. Especially since Kara’s team was included in that direction, it was quite dangerous.

“It’s fine. You haven’t forgotten our plan, have you? All we need to do is stay still and do nothing. The idea is to let them fight among themselves while we stay hidden and unnoticed. If we sneak in quietly, it’s over.”

“That’s easier said than done…”

It’s easier said than done. But unless the other teams are fools, they’ll also try to avoid fights as much as possible.

Moreover, there’s the risk of being sandwiched, attacked from both front and back—a situation often referred to as a “pincer.” This calls for extreme caution.

As mentioned earlier, this trial ends the moment you’re eliminated. While revival is possible, it’s limited.

“Still, we should prepare for contingencies, as Yeonju suggested. Mr. Sivar will handle defense, but our offense is lacking. Let’s think of a good strategy before the Mana Field shrinks.”

“How about I or Mr. Sivar act as a distraction to buy time?”

“That’s difficult. With only three members on our team, losing one is a significant blow. Plus, as the Mana Field continues to shrink, combat frequency will increase. We must avoid fights at all costs.”

It might seem cowardly, but it’s a wise choice. Avoiding unnecessary fights is the best strategy.

Although this might lower our evaluation, the most important thing is the ranking. In a Battle Royale, the gap between first and second place is stark.

Given our lack of offensive power, it’s better to avoid pointless conflicts. After all, it’s always been said that the best victory is one achieved without fighting.

“We should also start thinking about artifacts…”

[The Mana Field will shrink soon.]

Just as Grace was about to speak, the broadcast announcement echoed. Simultaneously, we checked our bracelets.

If you’re outside the next Mana Field boundary, the bracelet will issue a warning and indicate the direction.

“…We need to move. The position is…”

“It’s the direction Grace mentioned earlier.”

What a coincidence. The Mana Field was shrinking toward the very spot Grace had pointed out moments ago.

Looking at the map, it was a commercial district with many clustered buildings—a likely site for urban warfare.

‘Interesting.’

Urban warfare is usually a tedious type of combat. You have to identify which building the enemy is in and clear it out one by one.

But that’s not the case for me. I can simply destroy the buildings, and the opponents will likely be eliminated on their own.

Just by demolishing a building, the opponent gets eliminated. That’s all it takes.

“I hope the opposing teams clash before we move…”

Grace said this while glancing at me. Her eyes were filled with anticipation.

Lee Yeonju wore a similar expression, as if she was about to make another request of me.

I didn’t mind, so I readily agreed. But I had a request of my own.

“Grace.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Don’t scold me.”

“What?”

Grace looked puzzled at my request not to scold me. Her sharp eyes softened in confusion, making her look oddly cute.

“Um… I don’t know what you mean, but I won’t scold you. So, do you have a plan?”

“Yes. Yeonju.”

“?”

I then called Yeonju, who blinked at me. I made my request to her.

“Help me for a moment.”

This seemed like something that would take too long if I did it alone.

Once all the preparations were complete—

“…If my household finds out, I’ll be branded a criminal.”

“W-Well, it’s just a trial, so it should be fine, right?”

“How does that look fine?! That insanity?! And where on earth did you even learn that?!”

Grace stormed off in a fit of rage once again.

*****

Most teams were currently avoiding combat as much as possible.

While it was partly because it was a trial, the lack of scouts made it impossible to move recklessly.

Sivar had cleverly dealt with only the scouts, cutting off the flow of information and leaving the teams stuck in place.

When the Mana Field moved, they would follow it slowly. Any active movement could make them a target, so they refrained as much as possible.

“Let’s start moving. It’s risky, but we’re outside the Mana Field, so it’s better to go.”

“Understood.”

Luna was no different. Having lost her scout, she was moving with utmost caution.

Her chosen strategy was to camp as a base tactic while moving along the edges of the Mana Field.

This alone minimized unnecessary fights and kept her team relatively unscathed.

So far, there had been only one battle, and even that had ended in a smooth victory.

‘It’s about time to start fighting.’

She fiddled with the sword strapped to her waist. With the Mana Field shrinking, combat was bound to become more frequent.

For now, her unique vision allowed her to gather information, but unfortunately, she couldn’t grasp the entire picture.

Luckily, she had a team member skilled in strategy, but even that might not be enough.

‘Sivar doesn’t have attack rights… The ones to watch out for are Kara and Elvin.’

She didn’t know the positions of any of the three. If there were any noise, she might roughly figure it out, but even that was difficult.

Luna moved cautiously, ensuring she didn’t draw attention. A surprise attack could be fatal, so she carefully surveyed her surroundings as she stepped forward.

Step—step—step—

That’s when it happened. A particular footstep sounded unusually loud in Luna’s ears.

It wasn’t from her team. She had long since familiarized herself with her team members’ footsteps and could distinguish them.

She raised her hand slightly, signaling her team to stop. Naturally, her team members halted their steps.

“…”

“…”

When they stopped moving, the sound that had reached Luna’s ears also disappeared.

As Luna tilted her head in confusion, a team member behind her spoke up.

“Is something wrong?”

“…No. It seems I was mistaken. Let’s move forward.”

Pushing aside her unease, Luna resumed walking. They were currently positioned on the path leading to the commercial district.

Walking openly on the road was extremely dangerous, but there was no suitable place for an ambush either.

Step- step- step-

As they started walking again, this time, the sound was unmistakable. Luna whipped her head around and shouted.

“Who’s there?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Is someone there?”

At Luna’s shout, the team members readied their weapons, their faces filled with alarm.

As if responding to Luna’s call, someone emerged from behind them with a soft rustle.

On the tree-lined road, where even a proper hiding spot was scarce, a figure appeared from behind one of the small trees.

‘Who is that?’

Narrowing her eyes, Luna stared at the stranger. Their identity was hard to discern, as they were cloaked in a robe covering their entire body.

However, it was clear they were an enemy. In this trial, everyone except one’s team was an enemy.

Just as Luna was about to unsheath her sword, the unidentified person revealed their face.

“…Huh?”

“W-Why is that guy…?”

Like her startled team member, Luna couldn’t help but feel equally shocked.

And for good reason—the person cloaked in the robe was none other than Sivar.

She had no idea why Sivar was here or how he had discovered their position.

‘Could he have come alone? Why?’

More than anything, the fact that Sivar was alone puzzled her. Without attack rights, confronting him was meaningless.

Yet, it was too blatant to be reconnaissance, as he had followed them so openly. Luna was thoroughly confused.

While everyone except Sivar was flustered, Sivar momentarily seemed distracted.

Flap-

He pulled out a map, glanced between it and Luna’s team, then nodded and put it away.

Afterward, he looked directly at Luna’s team and threw off the robe that had been covering him.

Flap!

“…What?”

“W-What is that…?”

The moment Sivar discarded the robe, reactions of shock and disbelief erupted.

And for good reason—Sivar’s body was covered in bombs. Not just one, but several, enough to be aptly described as a bomb vest.

The explosives weren’t lethal but were certainly powerful enough to knock someone unconscious.

“…Sivar? What… what is that…?”

Lowering her sword cautiously, Luna asked nervously. Why was Sivar wearing a bomb vest?

Was it something his team had strapped onto him, or had Sivar decided to do it himself? Luna’s mind raced with questions.

Meanwhile, Sivar slowly raised his hand and pointed a finger in one direction.

“Go that way. Or else…”

He then gestured to the bomb vest and added.

“I’ll detonate it.”

Declaring his intent to carry out a self-destruct attack like a terrorist, Sivar left Luna and her team stunned. Unfortunately, they were only first-year students.

While they had faced monsters or other people, they had little practical experience, making it hard to grasp the situation quickly.

If it had been Kara, she would’ve cursed, called him a lunatic, and bolted. Sivar, knowing this, added one more remark.

“Not going? Then…”

Sivar crouched into a running stance.

“I’ll come to you.”

He charged toward the team.

“R-Run that way! Hurry!”

“Aaaaahhh!!”

“W-What the hell is that?! What is going on?!”

True chaos had begun.

[Faith Increases.]