A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 47

This world, like Earth, has the concept of weekdays and weekends. And every Wednesday afternoon is reserved for Autonomous Training.

The previous day, there was training to improve dynamic vision, but I didn’t particularly need it. It was too easy.

That training was conducted under Serah’s supervision, and when she saw how effortlessly I passed, she let it slide without a fuss.

She even said I didn’t have to participate in the practical sessions for the afternoon classes she would oversee in the future.

Anyway, back to the main point—Wednesday is the day for Autonomous Training.

It’s also one of my favorite days. Kara teaches me techniques.

“Alright. Today, we’re learning Breakfall. You roughly know what Breakfall is, right? You must’ve instinctively picked it up by now.”

“Yeah.”

“Luna, what about you?”

After hearing my answer, Kara turned to Luna and asked. Luna had also started learning combat from Kara.

At first, she stubbornly insisted she didn’t need to learn, but she completely changed her mind. Kara accepted her without any hard feelings.

“I know the basics?”

“And you didn’t learn it, did you? Am I wrong?”

“······No.”

“I hate to say this, but who on earth was your swordsmanship master? Why did they teach you so strangely?”

Kara asked with an incredulous expression. It was only natural for her to be curious about Luna’s master.

Breakfall, along with footwork, is one of the most fundamental basics of martial techniques. Even ordinary people can prevent severe injuries just by learning Breakfall.

But without even that, she was only taught swordsmanship and left at that. As a result, there are gaps here and there.

“He was just a strange person. Judging by his background, he seemed to be from The East.”

“You don’t even know his name or face?”

“No. He was such a mysterious person that I know almost nothing about him. He always wore a mask with a smiling expression, so I couldn’t see his face.”

“That’s really fascinating. Is this what they call a Fateful Encounter in The East?”

If it’s a Fateful Encounter, then so be it. And becoming close to Kara and learning techniques from her was also a Fateful Encounter.

If Luna’s master laid the overall “framework,” Kara would fill that framework with substance.

From then on, Luna would have to carve her own path. There’s a reason her master taught her in such an unusual way.

‘He must’ve considered her mental growth.’

If you’re strong from the start, there’s no need to mature. Especially in a world where physical strength holds significant importance.

Even in actual games, there are times when a lack of strength is compensated for with wisdom. That’s also why veteran players dominate.

“Well, anyway, you can start learning now. Take your time with combat and start with the absolute basics. The importance of Breakfall is······”

Kara began by explaining the theory. Breakfall, along with footwork, is one of the most fundamental basics of martial techniques.

Various situations arise during combat, and one of the most dangerous is when you fall.

The human body has surprisingly many weak points, and most people die when their vital points are struck.

Especially in situations where you fall, injuries to vital points are common, and Breakfall serves to mitigate that as much as possible.

“The reason Breakfall is particularly important is that it’s not just used in fights. Have you heard this proverb from The East? ‘An unlucky person will break their nose even if they fall backward.'”

“··· ···”

That’s not exactly the context for using that proverb. Unlike me, Luna didn’t seem familiar with proverbs and just stared blankly.

Kara is great, but she sometimes has a tendency to be a know-it-all. She learns well but applies things oddly.

Still, she’s an excellent teacher, so as long as the point gets across, it’s fine.

“Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Can I also learn how to balance in the air like Sivar?”

“No. Instead of learning that, you should focus on Breakfall first. That’s something only he can do; even I can’t manage that.”

Kara dismissed it outright. I have exceptional balance to the point where I can stabilize myself in the air, but others don’t.

While improving balance isn’t a bad idea, as Kara said, it’s better to learn Breakfall first.

I couldn’t learn Breakfall, so I developed in this way instead. As a result, I injured my head quite a bit.

Eventually, I instinctively mastered Breakfall, but in the beginning, I hit my head a lot.

‘Could this be why I became dumber?’

Considering I scored high on creativity tests, it’s not that my intelligence declined.

My way of thinking just became ridiculously straightforward and brute-force. Since my body is so capable, I stopped using my brain.

“That’s it for the theory. I’ll emphasize this repeatedly—every principle of Breakfall lies in extending the time of impact, even just a little. Watch closely as I demonstrate.”

Kara demonstrated all the Breakfall techniques she could teach, including forward, backward, side, and rolling Breakfalls.

It looked fairly simple at first glance, but it would take a long time for it to come out instinctively.

“Luna, master all the Breakfall techniques first. Sivar, let’s move on to Grappling. To learn more smoothly, you need a partner······”

Kara said this while glancing around. She seemed to be looking for Elvin, who would make an excellent “teaching aid.”

However, Elvin was nowhere to be found. He had been with us until just before lunch, but he had disappeared again.

“Where on earth is that guy wandering off to? I know he’s busy because of the people from his side, but he’s barely around.”

Kara grumbled, expressing her dissatisfaction. Despite being a Guardian, he spent little time with me.

Elvin, however, had his reasons. Coming from a prestigious family, he was constantly being summoned here and there.

Moreover, a significant “Trial” was coming up soon, so he was running around non-stop.

‘It’s a Trial that most people have no idea about.’

Among us, I’m probably the only one who knows about the Trial. According to the rules, it’s forbidden to reveal the details of the Trial.

However, since the Academy boasts a long-standing tradition, there are some Legacy Records accumulated over time.

While the written exams change every time, the practical exams are mostly conducted in the same way.

“Now, let me teach you about Grappling. Boxing is important, but Grappling is even more so. A few punches to the face won’t kill you, but getting choked or having a joint locked will.”

“Okay.”

“Come closer for a moment? Since teaching the techniques will take time, I’ll start by showing you how to defend.”

Saying this, Kara lay flat on the well-padded mat. The movement caused her large chest to jiggle slightly.

I almost let my gaze wander there but managed to hold back. I couldn’t afford to let strange thoughts distract me.

“Can you get on top of me? Don’t put your weight on me, though.”

Kara tapped her stomach lightly, requesting this. Following her instructions, I climbed on top of her.

To an outsider, the position might look a bit awkward, but it was clearly a training scenario. This is called the Mount Position.

Generally, once you’re in the Mount Position, the fight is as good as over. The person underneath has very few options.

“This is both a situation you should aim for and one you must avoid. No matter what the person on top does, the one underneath can only defend.”

“Okay.”

“There are various ways to escape from here. If we’re being a bit gentlemanly, it would go like this.”

Thud!

Kara’s knee, which had been relatively free, lightly struck my tailbone. The impact caused my body to lurch forward.

Instinctively, I placed my hands on the ground. At that moment, Kara grabbed my collar and rolled her body half a turn.

The position naturally reversed. Now, I was underneath, and Kara was on top.

“Like this. This is something you’ll only use during practice, not in real combat. Alright, let’s go back to the original position.”

She spun us back to the original position. I moved as she instructed.

“Fights are rarely gentlemanly, so it’s highly likely that the person on top will beat you mercilessly. If you can free even one leg, you can push them off like this.”

One of Kara’s legs wriggled upward and slipped between my thighs.

Then, she forcefully pushed against my abdomen with her foot. Kara explained that this was the best option.

I was pushed backward but returned to the position at her command.

“Since you’re strong, you might be able to brute-force your way out. It could be the method that suits you best. Now, here’s how I do it.”

Thud!

Kara struck my tailbone with her knee again, just like before. My body naturally lurched forward.

Up to this point, it was the same, but what followed was different. She grabbed my head to prevent me from getting up.

“This is how you stop them from using their fists altogether. Then, you’ll try to press down on my neck to get up, right? That’s when you make your move.”

As I pressed down on her neck and tried to rise, Kara’s arm slipped in and completely locked my arm.

If I used my strength, I could break free, but this was a time to learn the technique.

“And then like this.”

After locking my arm, she used the disrupted balance to roll her body half a turn, reversing the situation again.

“If you learn just this, you’ll be able to escape the Mount Position. Unless the strength difference is absurdly large, this works most of the time. Is it difficult?”

“Yeah.”

Honestly, it’s really hard. Boxing was relatively easy since it’s just punching, but Grappling is challenging right from the defensive stage.

Kara seemed to have anticipated my answer, as she chuckled lightly and told me not to worry about it.

“You don’t need to worry too much. This is only when you rely solely on ‘technique.’ If you have strength, you can just force your way out. As long as you escape, it doesn’t matter how you do it.”

“··· ···”

“I’ll just tell you what’s on the agenda for today and wrap it up. This isn’t something you can master in a day or two. Plus, we have the weekend, don’t we?”

Kara said with a refreshing laugh. Judging by her words, it seemed like she intended to oversee my training even on the weekends.

For someone like me, who has plenty of free time, that’s great, but I feel a bit guilty about taking up her time. Besides, isn’t Luna here too?

“Is it okay?”

“Huh? What is?”

“Your time.”

So I asked. Doesn’t she have any personal time?

Since Kara has a knack for understanding even my clumsy words, she would quickly catch on to what I meant.

Kara blinked at first, trying to interpret my question, but then she chuckled softly.

“I don’t have anything to do on weekends either. Rather than lazing around, it’s better to train with you and Luna. We can have fun while we’re at it.”

“··· ···”

“Come to think of it, you’ve become more considerate, haven’t you? You’re such a sweet kid.”

Kara pinched my cheek lightly as she praised me. Normally, I might have found it annoying, but it didn’t feel too bad.

We communicate well, and she spends so much time on me that I can accept this much.

Just as we were about to dive back into training.

-Rustle, rustle-

A commotion could be heard from one corner of the training ground. Both Kara and I, as well as Luna, who was practicing breakfalls alone, turned our gazes toward it.

Wondering what was going on, I listened to the murmurs and quickly understood.

“Isn’t that Lady Gloria? But the man next to her is······”

“A combination of the Matra Empire and the Granada Empire. That’s rare to see.”

“Why have those two come all the way here?”

“I have no idea.”

As promised last time, Gloria and Chronos had come to visit the training ground together.

They maintained a subtle distance, neither too close nor too far, as they approached us.

“Hello. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

Gloria greeted us warmly first. Chronos replaced words with a nod.

Luna nodded in response to their greeting. However, her expression seemed somewhat awkward.

Even though this was a planned situation, being the center of everyone’s attention must have felt a bit overwhelming.

“Hello, Lady Gloria······ and Lord Chronos.”

“It’s an honor that you remember our names. Anyway, as I mentioned last time, the sparring results are in.”

Gloria spoke with a gentle smile. Her acting skills were impressive as always.

Chronos said nothing, but maintaining his poker face was an achievement in itself.

He’s terrible at acting. He speaks stiffly, like reading from a textbook, so he sticks to a taciturn persona.

In reality, he’s reserved and blunt by nature, so no one suspects otherwise.

“The sparring result is a draw. Moreover, Luna and Sivar’s talents are so exceptional that choosing just one of them would be difficult. So, we decided that we would teach both students and let them choose later.”

“······Is, is that really okay?”

You’re terrible at acting too. I looked at Luna, whose voice had risen slightly at the end of her sentence.

Anyone could see she was radiating awkwardness, but to an outsider, it might just look like nervousness.

There’s no reason to suspect anything. Given the high status of that couple, everyone would likely accept it.

“Yes, of course. There’s nothing to gain from clashing among ourselves. This way, it’s fairer for everyone.”

“Yes, yes. Understood. Kara, sis?”

“What?”

“Would it be okay if I learned from them······”

“Do as you like. It’s not like today is the only day we have, right? I might as well use this chance for some personal training.”

Surprisingly, Kara let it go without any fuss. Although she didn’t express it, it was a situation that could easily upset her.

Luna seemed to realize this, as she apologized with a genuinely remorseful expression.

“I’m sorry, sis.”

“What are you sorry for? You’d be a fool to miss this opportunity. And Sivar.”

“?”

Kara called out to me. I met her gaze with a puzzled expression.

She looked at my face, pursed her lips, and then flashed her characteristic bright smile as she spoke.

“You go and learn well too. Don’t bother coming back to me. Like I said earlier, opportunities like this are rare. Got it?”

She must have been worried that I might choose to follow her instead of them.

To be honest, I did have such thoughts. But there’s no time to waste.

The Nurturer Event is valid only until the Trial, and if I don’t learn now, I’ll never get another chance.

‘Still, I can trust Kara.’

I alternated my gaze between Kara and the secretive couple. Unlike Ellie, who tends to blabber, Kara is trustworthy.

Strictly speaking, she doesn’t care about secrets. Because she doesn’t care, she forgets they even exist.

People often say she’s tight-lipped, but it’s more like she forgets the secrets entirely, leading to the misconception.

‘Even in the Soul World, she just brushed it off with an “Oh, really?”‘

Kara doesn’t concern herself with the relationship between the Matra Empire and the Granada Empire. What matters most to her is her own country.

Sometimes, her carefree nature makes her forget things, but she is, after all, the Princess of Tatars.

Moreover, she’s not the type to exploit such matters politically, so she can be trusted.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you going already? I’m not upset at all, so hurry up and go.”

Seeing me hesitate, Kara gave me a push on the back. Her face still bore a smile.

But I could see it. Even though she said she wasn’t upset, there was a faint trace of sadness in her smile.

If Luna and I left to receive training, Kara would have to do Autonomous Training alone.

She may not show it, but she gets lonely more easily than one might think, so I couldn’t just leave her alone.

“Kara.”

“What?”

“Come with us.”

So I acted a bit foolishly. If Kara were someone who couldn’t keep a secret, I would have just left.

The Kara I know would never reveal a secret. She’s the type to forget it entirely because she doesn’t care.

“Sivar. Kara, sis······”

“No.”

When Luna tried to say something, I immediately cut her off. Then, I grabbed the hand Kara had used to push me.

I pulled her hand, bringing her face-to-face with Gloria and Chronos.

I could sense Kara’s surprise, but I ignored it and made a request to the two of them.

“Together.”

It was a request in words.

“Let’s go.”

But in reality, it was practically a silent threat.

A threat that if they didn’t take Kara along, I might reveal their secret.

Of course, some things are non-negotiable. It was more of a request than a threat.

Revealing the secret would ruin my relationship with them, so I’d have to be crazy to do that.

They wouldn’t know this, which is why I could make this pseudo-threat.

While Chronos looked troubled, Kara hurriedly let go of my hand and shouted.

“No, no, no. I’m fine, really! You two go ahead. I’m totally fine.”

Kara, flustered, grabbed her own hand with the other, her previously confident expression now replaced with one of embarrassment.

Her face began to flush so much that it was noticeable even against her bronzed skin. It was fascinating to see.

If she was going to react like this, I might have to give up. Just as I was about to half-abandon the idea.

“Alright. Kara can come along too.”

“What?”

It was Gloria, of all people, who readily agreed.

Even her partner, Chronos, looked at her in surprise.

“But there’s something I need to discuss once we’re inside.”

For some reason, Gloria’s face.

“You understand, right?”

Looked as if she’d just found a new toy to play with.