A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

After Porori was attacked by a hunter, I called Rod and Luna to explain the situation.

Ellie was also included here, as she was sort of Porori's owner, so it was necessary for her to know the situation.

"A demon with blue coloring and perfect stealth... quite a dangerous one."

"You mentioned before that demons can't be detected, right? Doesn't that make it extremely dangerous?"

Luna, after hearing the explanation, voiced her opinion in a serious tone.

Her words were absolutely correct; hunters are the most dangerous among assassins.

Due to the innate traits of demons, detecting their presence is virtually impossible, and on top of that, they can achieve perfect stealth.

This means they could assassinate even the emperor if they set their mind to it.

"It's dangerous. But that's precisely why they won't act recklessly."

"The skill of stealth itself is a magic that requires a high level of concentration. Moreover, their existence isn't completely erased, so they tend to get caught by detection magic."

Rod's words were correct. At first glance, a hunter's abilities might seem overpowered.

However, they have a weakness in that they are helpless against detection magic. Unless the magic is nullified, they will inevitably be detected.

Furthermore, as I demonstrated by scattering blood temporarily, there are countermeasures available. Defense is entirely possible.

"With that level of power, they would save it as a last resort. Losing such a resource would be a tremendous loss. But with such stealth abilities, it's certain that they've lived for quite a long time."

"Shouldn't we stay on guard?"

"The academy is protected by the existence of the Memorial Tower, so it's impossible for demons to approach. The forest outskirts would be their limit."

Thanks to the presence of the Memorial Tower, the academy is safe from demons.

Although I don't know the exact principle, during the academy's collapse, the Memorial Tower was the first thing to be neutralized.

Since then, well, hell broke loose. At least until that day comes again, we will be safe from demons.

"Does the Memorial Tower block demons from approaching?"

"It's been so long that I'm not sure, but I heard it blocks beings without life. So, it can block not only demons but also the undead."

"......?"

It was while Rod was answering Ellie's question. Luna blinked, seemingly sensing something strange.

Then, she glanced at me subtly, her expression showing doubt about me.

'Why is she looking at me?'

Could she possibly think that I'm related to demons? Based on what, exactly?

Or maybe she's suspicious because she saw me wielding the Bloodstained Greatsword without issue.

She must have read the explanation of the Bloodstained Greatsword through her emotions, and perhaps noticed my peculiar constitution.

'But I'm not a demon.'

My heart beats normally, and my coloring is vivid.

Although my skin is unusually pale and my eyes are bright red, I'm definitely not a demon.

Just an appearance that could exist anywhere. Besides, I've been steadily accumulating Divine Power.

"For the time being, Ratatoskr should stay in your dormitory, Ellie. If he stays in the forest and gets attacked by a demon again, it would be dangerous."

"Yes, I'll do that."

"Sivar, you should also avoid going into the forest as much as possible."

"......Yes."

I answered a beat late. Visiting the forest is essential, even if only to gather herbs.

Of course, I need to be fully prepared for ambushes. Just because they are hunters doesn't mean they're perfect.

What's more dangerous is the higher-ups. Demons like Rod, who possess a navy color, and led the academy's collapse.

I wanted to gather information about them somehow, but opportunities were hard to come by.

'Should I lure the hunter into a trap instead...?'

Or I could secretly tell Luna. She already knew some of my secrets.

After discussing various matters, we disbanded.

"Sivar."

"Yes?"

"You said you climbed the Memorial Tower with your bare hands before, right?"

Then Luna asked me. It was one of the eccentric things I did as soon as I entered the academy.

Climbing without any mana was quite exhausting. I also remember getting scolded by Rod for it.

"Yes. But why?"

"Hmm... never mind."

Luna hesitated for a moment, then brushed it off. It was an anticlimactic reaction.

I tilted my head slightly but let it go. However, my mind was filled with thoughts of the Memorial Tower.

'Would faith accumulate if I climbed it now?'

I was tempted for a moment.

"If you try that nonsense again, I'll personally cut down the Memorial Tower. Just so you know."

"... ..."

Rod spoke firmly, putting the matter to rest.

******

After a tumultuous weekend, the weekdays returned.

This meant attending academy classes. While the lessons were beneficial, I usually took them lightly.

After all, once we enter practice sessions, I end up sweeping everything anyway. Other students probably feel the same way.

"Cryptography is one of the most important fields of study. Especially since you will soon become talents that even the nation will pay attention to, this is a mandatory subject."

Godin, the squinting mage, was giving his lecture enthusiastically. Unlike with other professors, I paid close attention to Godin's classes.

Otherwise, I might miss out on the magic I'll gain later. Speaking of which, I was curious about how my collaboration with Jane was progressing.

I should visit Jane soon to check the progress and also confirm Godin's magic.

"There are various languages in the world, and each language has its own cryptography. Magic can also incorporate a form of cryptography. Doing so could throw your opponent into great confusion."

This was information and content worth paying attention to. To rise to the top as a mage, one must be proficient in cryptography.

Mages who fight on the frontlines might not care about cryptography or anything else, but that's not the case for those in the rear.

In this world, language is equivalent to magic. Therefore, without cryptography, security is too easily breached.

'Wards and formations were structured like that, right?'

It's closer to mathematics than language, but let's move on. Using specific languages remains unchanged.

Anyway, as magic develops, cryptography naturally evolves alongside it.

Consequently, the ability of those who decrypt becomes undeniably important. In the Soul World, it was treated as a kind of 'puzzle.'

'Solving those puzzles gave me a real headache.'

If it had been riddles instead, it might have been different, but the puzzles were so difficult that they were mentally exhausting.

Maybe it's an intelligence issue. Even if you can solve them, they're meaningless if you don't know the language of the country.

For this reason, it's necessary to have a diverse background to prepare for the future. Especially in the East, where the language structure is different, having at least one person is essential.

"However, the most practical use of cryptography is, of course, in communication. Even if communication is intercepted, if it's encrypted, it takes a significant amount of time to interpret. Cryptography is essential, even just to buy time."

"Professor, does it not matter if we don't know the opponent's language?"

"That's not the case. Cryptography is based on the language of its country. You must interpret it after decrypting it."

Decrypting cryptography means obtaining information. And information holds immeasurable value.

To obtain one piece of information, you must gather scattered clues, so imagine how much more effort is needed for cryptography.

Once decrypted, the information can be taken in its entirety. This means you can completely overturn the war situation.

'Though it also depends on how you use it.'

Of course, this only increases the probability of success; it doesn't guarantee a benefit.

If decryption is too late, you might miss the timing, or you might still fail due to incompetence.

However, as the saying goes, "Know thy enemy and know thyself, and you will never be defeated." Just knowing the information is immensely beneficial.

"That's all for today's class. However, there will be a practice session this Friday. It's a practice session using the cryptography taught today."

"Practice?"

"Another practice session?"

The students groaned at the mention of a practice session. It was understandable since it was obvious that I would sweep everything again.

No matter what they tried in the past, they often ended up struggling, but not anymore. Now, they just automatically placed me in the top rank.

While I understood their frustration, their lethargy made me feel slightly guilty, so I kept my mouth shut.

"The teams will be divided into two, and the theme is conquest. The rules are very simple. Out of ten territories, whoever controls the most wins."

"No doubt, the team with Sivar will win."

Kara smirked as she muttered after hearing the explanation. It was embarrassing, but half true.

In the face of overwhelming power, intelligence becomes meaningless. That's the reality I've shown so far.

"Do you think even the professors have given up?"

"Who knows? Anyway, let's hear the rules first. I hope we end up on the same team. We've never been on the same team before."

Kara grumbled, voicing her dissatisfaction. Come to think of it, I've never been on the same team as Kara.

Although it's meant to balance things out, it feels like reverse discrimination. I'd also prefer to be on the same team with her.

"You might be disappointed, but please endure, Ms. Kara. There's no other way to ensure balance, right?"

"So, you're saying you always end up on the same team? I'm jealous, so jealous."

"Hmph."

On the other hand, Grace was always on my team. Not just during exams, but also for practice sessions.

I couldn't help but wonder if it was sheer luck or if the professors intentionally arranged it.

We even started living together, so it was inevitable that we'd be on the same team.

"This time, the practice is more about strategy than brute force. In other words, intelligence is key. The time required for complete domination varies depending on the number of members."

"Hmm?"

"Simply put, it takes longer for one person to dominate, while the more members you have, the less time it takes to conquer. It's a kind of land-grabbing game."

However, upon hearing the rules explained by Godin, my perspective slightly changed. This wasn't just me; other students seemed to feel the same.

Judging by the murmurs and shared opinions, they seemed to think it was doable. In reality, this practice emphasized domination over brute strength.

"Additionally, the distance between the command post and the territories is considerable. Therefore, communication will be of utmost importance, as will encryption."

"... ..."

The more I listened, the more I tilted my head in thought. Under these conditions, going solo would be a disadvantage.

Even if I managed to dominate alone, the moment I left my position, another team would snatch it away.

Yet, staying in one place like a stationary ghost was also impractical. While the frontlines were important, the command post's strategy was even more crucial.

'The professors put some thought into this.'

Just like how they treated siege weapons during the last finals, they seemed determined to balance things out.

Besides, during the finals, even if it wasn't me, our team had too much of an advantage. The fact that those ruffians just sprawled out and slept sealed the deal.

Above all, it's fascinating how my existence keeps altering the future I once knew. I wonder what rules they'll come up with next.

"The code won't be assigned by me; instead, the team will create it through mutual agreement. We'll allocate time on Thursday afternoon for this. Now, I'll announce the teams."

I focused on Godin's announcement of the teams. Regardless of anything else, the team composition was crucial.

Strategy is important, but if the weapon to execute that strategy is inadequate, it's meaningless.

Of course, it's obvious who I'll end up teaming with. By looking at Kara's sullen expression and Grace's confident one, you could roughly guess.

However, as the saying goes, life is unpredictable. The roster Godin announced left us all stunned.

"Team 1: Karas, Luna Estelle, Sivar, Kara Meyer Hector's Daughter, Grace Aria del Berche... (and so on)."

"What?"

"That's a team?"

"Are you kidding? That's absurd!!"

It was like assembling the Avengers—a complete imbalance. Even the students shouted in protest, feeling it was too much.

Kara, too, looked dumbfounded. Her expression seemed to question if this was really happening.

Still, the slight twitch of her lips hinted that she was quite pleased to be on the same team as me.

"... No matter how you look at it, doesn't this make the whole thing meaningless?"

"Exactly. This is way too much..."

Even those on the same team expressed doubt. What were the professors thinking when they formed these teams?

Godin, seemingly anticipating such reactions, maintained a sly smile despite the strong backlash. He had an air of confidence, as if everything was part of his plan.

"Now, now. Calm down. As I mentioned earlier, this exercise prioritizes strategy over strength. Moreover, if you don't follow the command post's orders, the strategy could fall apart. Collaboration is key."

"Collaboration, my foot. It's like throwing a tiger among a flock of sheep."

Antonio grumbled from the back. There couldn't have been a more fitting analogy.

But as I said earlier, life is unpredictable.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot something."

Godin clapped his hands as if recalling something, drawing everyone's attention.

Then, glancing at me briefly, he maintained his sly smile as he began to speak.

"By the way, using a common language is prohibited in this practice."

"......?"

"The teams were divided by nationality, so please understand."

What?

As I blinked in surprise at the rule, I heard someone mutter.

"... I'm probably the only one who knows my country's language..."

There was one other person in a similar situation to mine.