A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 163

Although there was an unexpected commotion, it was fortunately resolved without issue.

The moment Rod saw my severed wrist, he hurriedly acted, but only briefly, before promptly restoring it.

Since it was so cleanly severed, all it took was reattaching it as if fitting a prosthetic hand. Thankfully, I have a regeneration ability.

“Phew. This was my mistake. It’s only natural for curiosity to arise.”

“Is he always like this?”

“Indeed. To explain the principle, it’s roughly like this.”

Rod drew on the dirt ground with his sword as he began his explanation.

Let’s assume there’s a space divided by a wall. To cross to the other side, spatial movement is essential.

Just like Rod demonstrated earlier—by slicing through space to connect to the other side or simply teleporting. There are many methods.

“But if it’s interrupted midway, you’ll inevitably suffer damage. That is, unless you can manipulate space.”

“Because the hand is in the other space, right?”

“Exactly.”

Failing to teleport, blink, or warp doesn’t result in a mage being torn to pieces.

If the magic activation fails, it’s simply treated as a failure. The spell doesn’t activate at all.

In contrast, something like Rod’s spatial slash is different. It directly interferes with the world’s principles, so the risk is high.

“It’s hard to grasp this through theory alone, isn’t it?”

Luna asked, seemingly intrigued after witnessing the dangers of spatial slashing firsthand.

I never thought I would reach that realm. The most I had was basic combat training, hardly proper martial techniques.

On the other hand, Luna is closer to being a martial artist. Though it’s still a distant future, she has the potential to grow strong.

“It’s hard to get it through theory alone. It’s not about the mind but about honing your senses.”

“What kind of senses?”

“Think of it as the sensation of becoming the sky itself. Instead of seeing the world with your eyes, you observe yourself from above, as if from the sky.”

Is it like shifting from a first-person perspective to a third-person one? I’ll interpret it roughly like that for now.

However, I still don’t understand how that connects to spatial slashing. It’s a long road ahead.

Moreover, Rod is absurdly strong even without relying on such techniques. His basic attacks are probably equivalent to others’ ultimate moves.

“Well, let’s end the chatter here and head to the checkpoint. And Sivar.”

“Yes?”

“Try to avoid doing things you’re unsure of in the future. Whenever possible, seek permission first.”

“··· ···”

Perhaps because of the major incident I caused, Rod was treating me like a child. It reminded me of something I heard back in the military.

I felt a bit dissatisfied, but the impact of the incident was too significant for me to voice any complaints.

“Don’t take it too personally. The Headmaster is just worried about you.”

“Even so.”

“If there’s something you want to eat, just tell me. I’ll buy it for you right away.”

As expected, Kara is the only one who truly understands me. How does she know exactly what I want?

When I looked at her with sparkling eyes, Kara gave me a refreshing smile in return, even pinching my cheek as a bonus.

“By the way, your hand has healed completely, right?”

Kara pointed to my neatly reattached hand and asked.

It’s in such a perfectly restored state that it’s hard to believe it was ever severed.

Instead of answering her question with words, I demonstrated. I rotated my wrist freely or twisted my fingers however I wanted.

For most people, rehabilitation alone would take months, but not for me. I recovered quickly enough to handle strenuous exercise.

“It’s fascinating every time I see it. Just how high is your regenerative power for this to happen? Are you even human?”

“I am human.”

“Sure, sure. Lord Chaos personally chose you, so of course, you’re human.”

Forget everything else—just the fact that Chaos chose me is enough.

Sometimes, I did wonder if I was truly human, but after meeting Rize, I realized something.

Ah, at the very least, I fall within the boundaries of humanity. Rize, on the other hand, is someone whose humanity is questionable.

“Just in case, it might be a good idea to visit the Temple of Life. Even if it’s properly reattached, there could be issues with the nerves.”

“Alright.”

Since things have come to this, I plan to visit the temples like Luna. There are mountains of things I wanted to ask them.

However, I didn’t have high expectations. Although direct communication was possible, it was extremely limited.

Chaos, of course, was out of the question. As an intangible will without form, direct conversation was nearly impossible.

Perhaps only someone like Rize could manage meaningful dialogue. Didn’t she come to the Academy specifically to find me?

‘The most likely option would be Gulak, I suppose?’

Of course, I’d probably get struck by lightning a few times, but after asking a series of confirmatory questions, it should be fine.

Besides, Kara would be by my side, so I couldn’t act recklessly. While I might not care about others, I truly cherish Kara.

“We’re almost there now. That’s the checkpoint of Byzantium.”

Before long, we arrived at the checkpoint of Byzantium. Given the era, a massive city wall was erected behind the checkpoint.

Unlike typical city walls, it was closer to being pure white. One of Byzantium’s nicknames is the Land of Pure White, and this is its origin.

“Ah, you must be the renowned Sword Saint. The Saintess has already informed us of your arrival. Please, come in.”

“Thank you for your efforts.”

The checkpoint was essentially a free pass. It seemed Rize had given prior notice, as they allowed Rod through immediately upon seeing him.

Instead of the city gate, we moved toward a smaller passage for pedestrians and entered the city.

Upon entering, the first thing that caught my eye was the same pure white as the city wall. It was fitting to say the entire city was white.

“Do you see that tall building in the center? That’s the Papal Palace. It also serves as the Temple of Chaos. And on either side, the temples of the other gods are established.”

“The Papal Palace is also the Temple of Chaos?”

“It’s due to Byzantium’s history. Lord Chaos is the one who made it possible for gods with opposing dispositions to coexist.”

As Rod said, it wouldn’t be strange for a nation to form around each god. However, Byzantium’s unique characteristics also play a role.

Rather than adopting a specific god as the state religion, it’s more akin to a civilization founded to honor the gods. Think of the entire nation as a temple and altar.

“Well, life and destruction are polar opposites, so coexistence would be difficult. Lord Chaos has indeed influenced history in many ways.”

“That’s right.”

Looking at this world’s history, there’s one thing that stands out at critical moments—those involved were often followers of Chaos or likely to be.

People who made significant contributions to human history or proposed ideas incomprehensible at the time were mostly like that.

Just as geniuses of the century were often ridiculed as heretics in their time, only to leave a lasting legacy later.

‘But how do they know those people were followers of Chaos?’

For the record, unless it’s explicitly documented in history, it’s highly ambiguous.

There’s no way to confirm if they were truly chosen by Chaos; it’s all within the realm of speculation.

From the outset, their position is somewhat vague. Unless someone is deeply interested in religion, most only think of Gaia and Gulak.

‘It’s chaotic in every sense of the word.’

While the term “chaos” sounds appealing, it’s riddled with ambiguities. There’s no doctrine to serve as a standard, only trust in human will.

Even the “evil” committed by humans is appreciated if it meets the conditions. Rize’s convictions, for instance, border on violence.

Thankfully, they dislike those who lack humanity. People who have lost their human hearts are completely ignored.

“Hmm? That woman has bronzed skin?”

“Indeed. Isn’t bronzed skin unique to the Tatar Tribe?”

It was around the time we were heading toward the Papal Palace. I overheard murmurs along the way.

Kara, in particular, drew the most attention. It was inevitable, given her distinctive skin tone.

While my skin is notably pale, it doesn’t stand out as much as Kara’s.

“Did she come to visit the Temple of Lord Gulak?”

“Probably. The Tatars do adopt Lord Gulak as their state religion.”

“Or maybe she’s moving here? Our country is considered one of the best places to live.”

There were no discriminatory remarks directed at Kara. The curiosity in their voices was almost pure.

Even Kara, who had been quietly listening, wore a slightly bewildered expression. It seemed this type of attention was new to her.

‘Hearing they think she’s moving here must be a first.’

In truth, Byzantium is often regarded as one of the best places to live. Unless one is associated with demons, there’s little chance of being caught in war.

While its military power is weaker compared to other nations, its national strength is robust. Religious authority is concentrated in Byzantium.

Throughout history, religious justification has always been powerful. Labeling someone as a heretic easily turns them into a public enemy.

Even the Tatars benefit greatly from this. Without it, they would have long since been destroyed.

“Byzantium was founded after the Hero defeated the Demon King, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. At the same time, the Academy was established. That’s why it’s so close to Byzantium.”

“The more I see, the more profound it seems. But still······”

Before long, we arrived at the Papal Palace. I followed closely without wandering off along the way.

From a distance, the Papal Palace had an exterior that could be described as ordinary, if not plain. A cathedral boasting a lofty status.

“Was Lord Chaos… lacking in design sense?”

Luna made a critique—though not quite a critique—as she looked at the entrance of the Papal Palace. Rod responded with a wry smile.

It was understandable, as the entrance to the Papal Palace was… far from matching its exterior.

Instead of being pristine white, it was entirely covered in black. Even torches were set up along the path leading to the entrance.

Thankfully, it was morning. If it were night, it would have felt like entering a dungeon. The atmosphere was truly bizarre.

“This wasn’t built by Lord Chaos but by a believer who followed Him. You’d have to ask that person.”

“Well, the atmosphere is fitting. It does match the name ‘Chaos.'”

“Why on earth did they build it like this…? It’s really strange.”

Unlike Kara, who let it slide, Luna still seemed unable to understand. She said aloud what she could have just muttered to herself.

Maybe that’s why Chaos dislikes Luna. Watching her tilt her head in confusion, an idea came to me.

It was none other than Ragnarok. Since it’s a weapon imbued with Chaos’s will, the reaction might differ.

So, I took out Ragnarok and brought it close to Luna’s arm. I was genuinely curious if Chaos would show His will.

Crackle!!

“Aagh!!”

The reaction this time was far different from the faint sparks before.

It wasn’t just a spark—it was a full-blown lightning strike. Luna’s body twitched like a fish out of water.

Thud—

Just as I wondered if Chaos truly disliked Luna, she collapsed to the ground, seemingly unable to withstand the sudden lightning strike.

Unlike me, she had almost no resistance to lightning. You need to have been roasted like I was to build up some tolerance.

“…What are you doing?”

“What on earth were you thinking…?”

Kara and Rod both reacted with disbelief at my actions.

Rather than scolding me, their expressions showed they simply couldn’t comprehend what I had done.

I alternated between looking at Luna, who was twitching on the ground, and the two of them, before quietly responding.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Then who was it?”

At Kara’s question, I glanced at Ragnarok. Come to think of it, wasn’t lightning the Authority of Gulak?

Chaos might have punished Luna out of annoyance, but Gulak’s influence could also be at play.

However, I couldn’t shift the blame to Gulak. After all, the person Gulak favored most was standing right in front of me.

Then what excuse should I make? I rolled my eyes before opening my mouth.

“Lord Chaos.”

“Lord Chaos? Are you saying it was Lord Chaos?”

“Yeah.”

That’s probably the case.

[Faith Increases!]

So it was true.