A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 174

Divine Power is a higher concept than Mana. You must have Mana to use Divine Power, and its concentration varies depending on faith.

Additionally, Divine Power allows the use of a god’s strength. A representative example is Gulak’s Lightning.

Therefore, it also means that Gaia’s power can be utilized, though it is considerably difficult.

At present, it is hard to find a believer capable of even controlling Gulak’s Lightning.

From this, you can tell how much Gulak favors Kara.

The same goes for Gaia. Especially since Gaia is a god who directly governs life, she is even stricter.

At the very least, Gulak’s Lightning belongs to ‘nature.’ In contrast, Gaia’s abilities are closer to pure Divine Power.

Instead of borrowing the Force of Nature through Divine Power, Gaia’s abilities manifest solely through pure Divine Power.

Perhaps for this reason, Gaia’s Divine Power is the most incompatible with the other two entities.

Even ordinary Divine Power is fatal to the Undead or demons, but Gaia’s is on an entirely different level.

Ssssss-

“Ugh······”

I stared at my hand, which was billowing with smoke. My hand was in a state where the skin had peeled off, exposing grotesque muscles.

The pain is as severe as it looks. It feels like dipping my hand into a vat of acid.

Having lived in the wilderness, I’ve experienced all kinds of pain, but this is different. It’s on another level.

“H-Huh? Why, why isn’t the blessing······”

While I trembled, the priestess who had cast the blessing muttered. She, too, looked flustered.

Unlike the demon in front of us, I am human. Yet, my reaction was no different from that of a demon, so she must be bewildered.

I feel the same way. Until now, I had endured Gulak’s Lightning without issue and even obtained ‘Thunder.’

‘What the hell is this? Is it because I directly received Divine Power?’

Thanks to my exceptional Regenerative Power, the wound healed quickly. But it took longer than I expected.

Without my regeneration, I wouldn’t have been able to use my left hand for a while. If nothing else, that’s fortunate.

I looked at my hand, which had recovered in an instant, then turned my head to stare at the priestess.

The priestess was dumbfounded, watching my hand heal rapidly.

“Hey.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Get out. Quickly.”

I had already cleared the outside. Even a frail priestess should be able to leave on her own.

Besides, considering the battles ahead, she would only be a hindrance. Even her Divine Power would be a problem.

I don’t know why Gaia’s ‘Miracle’ harmed me, but now is not the time to dwell on it.

Right now, the priority is to deal with the demon in front of me. Fortunately, the demon was merely observing us and hadn’t made a move.

“I-Is it really okay? For me to go alone······”

“Get out.”

“Y-Yessir!”

When I growled like a beast, pressuring her, the priestess bolted away in a panic.

Hopefully, she runs far enough that I won’t have to see her face again. Getting involved with her is exhausting.

Of course, I should at least ask why she came to this village. Normally, I wouldn’t have met her at this time.

“Is it over?”

As soon as the priestess fled, a heavy voice pierced my ears. It was the demon’s voice.

Hearing the voice, I turned my head. A being that seemed detached from the world stood there brazenly.

Unlike Rize in her Authority Form, this one had a different aesthetic. While the surroundings were shrouded in darkness, the demon alone appeared monochrome.

However, the sword it held was not. It was a vivid red, with a nearly pitch-black hilt.

It was undoubtedly the sword I had been searching for. It was perfect for me, if not for anyone else.

“Who are you? How did you find this place?”

“Directly.”

“··· ···”

At my answer, the demon’s lower eyelid twitched. It seemed annoyed, as if it didn’t want to engage in wordplay.

Judging by its muscular build and bulk, comparable to an ogre, it was clearly a natural-born warrior.

It was the type that preferred action over words.

“······Fine. I will give you a choice. Leave quietly, or die here.”

Just like in the Soul World, it offered an opportunity. Fortunately, it seemed no victims had been claimed yet.

If even one victim had been harmed, there would be no talk of opportunities—only a fight. It was a cautious creature.

If I were to leave quietly, it would flee immediately. By the time anyone reported it, it would already be too late.

The village administrator doesn’t believe users, after all. I wouldn’t believe them either.

“That sword.”

“Hmm?”

“Give me that sword. Then I’ll leave.”

I pointed at the sword with my index finger. As I’ve repeatedly mentioned, the reason I sought out the demon was for that sword.

In fact, I intended to leave quietly if I could just obtain the sword. Without it, the demon’s Growth would inevitably halt.

Conversely, this also meant the demon had no intention of giving up the sword.

“What if I refuse?”

“I’ll take it by force.”

“Go ahead and try.”

As you wish. When the demon replied indifferently, I immediately sprang into action.

I hurled the Ragnarok I was holding. It was merely a feint.

Thud!

The demon swatted away the flying axe with one hand instead of its sword. It must have reinforced its body with Mana.

Unbothered, I opened my hand and charged forward. The axe embedded in the floor returned to my hand with a satisfying snap.

Crackle!

Knowing it was a formidable opponent, I infused the axe with lightning from the start. Not blue lightning, but crimson lightning like my Mana.

The demon narrowed its eyes, sensing something strange about the lightning’s color. That didn’t mean it wouldn’t respond, though.

Clang!

When I swung the axe, the demon raised its greatsword to block it effortlessly. At the same time, a strange sensation coursed through my body.

It felt as though the lightning imbued in the axe was being absorbed by the greatsword. My Mana seemed to drain away.

The moment I felt that, I quickly disengaged from the power struggle. Fortunately, no follow-up attack came.

The demon also frowned and stepped back. We both sensed a mutual sense of disharmony.

‘A sword that absorbs energy.’

The sword’s name is the Bloodstained Greatsword.

As the name suggests, it is a weapon that absorbs Mana.

To absorb it, the sword must either inflict a wound or engage in a power struggle like just now.

It seems like a broken weapon, but it isn’t without weaknesses. You can counter it by sending an aura imbued with lightning, as I just did.

‘For a demon, it must be incredibly advantageous.’

In game terms, demons have only 1 HP. However, they compensate for this with Regenerative Power and Mana.

Even if their limbs are severed, they regenerate immediately. Thus, there are only three ways to eliminate a demon.

Either kill them repeatedly until their Mana is depleted, burn them with Divine Power, or exploit their visible weaknesses.

Most demons, like this one, tend to place their weaknesses in their hearts. Look—its chest is glowing blue right now.

Since it’s a vital spot even for humans, they usually try to keep it hidden. That’s why you have to keep pressing them.

‘I can’t afford to let it land an attack.’

With that thought, I charged again. The red lightning on Ragnarok crackled fiercely.

If the sword lands a hit, the fight will likely drag on. A prolonged battle with this demon would be troublesome even for me.

I may have Regenerative Power and Mana comparable to the demon’s, but I lack a weapon. That’s why I covet that sword.

Boom!

As I rushed in, the demon slammed its sword into the ground with both hands. A brief opening appeared.

However, I didn’t attack immediately and instead observed the sword. Embedded in its center was an eye-like shape.

The eye, resembling that of a reptile, was staring directly at me. The moment I saw it, I quickly retreated.

Crash!!

Spikes erupted around the demon, radiating blue magic power.

If I had been caught by that, it would have hurt quite a bit. An ordinary person would have died.

“You have good instincts.”

The demon murmured as it retrieved the sword from the ground. It’s not so much instinct as it is familiarity with the pattern.

Of course, there’s no need to explain it. Knowing the pattern already makes the difficulty drop significantly.

Each attack could be described as straightforward. Even its feints were, in a way, predictable.

Crack!

Moments later, the axe lodged cleanly into the demon’s side. It allowed the attack far too easily.

But I already knew. This was a trap. A strategy of sacrificing flesh to claim the bone.

Without a second thought, I abandoned the axe and retreated. The demon’s hand narrowly grazed past me.

The so-called grab pattern. Predictable to the point of absurdity, just as expected.

“··· ···”

The demon seemed to sense something was off, its expression hardening. Regardless, I didn’t stop my assault.

As I mentioned earlier, there are only three ways to deal with a demon. Among them, I chose to exhaust its mana.

I neither know how to use pure divine power nor have any other method. This is simply what I do best.

Clang! Clang!

The ensuing exchange of blows. Rather than engaging in a contest of strength, I deflected its attacks.

This was to avoid transferring even the slightest bit of mana. Besides, the mana infused with lightning would be difficult for it to absorb.

Time was on my side. As long as I didn’t allow an attack to land, victory was guaranteed to be mine.

Crack!

The demon once again drove its sword into the ground. The pattern looked similar to before.

However, despite the resemblance, it was entirely different. First, there was the eye embedded in the sword hilt.

Earlier, the eye had been wide open, but now it was shut. Almost as if it were asleep.

I immediately charged at the demon. Now was the perfect opportunity to deal maximum damage.

Boom!!

Blue thorns erupted around the demon. But compared to before, the range was different.

If the initial thorn attack had been closer to the demon, this time, they sprouted slightly farther out in the outer area.

As soon as I approached, I swiftly swung the axe. This time, I aimed for its lower body instead of the side.

Slash!

The blade was so sharp that its leg was severed effortlessly. Given the demon’s size, comparable to an ogre, this strategy was feasible.

Losing a leg meant losing balance. The demon’s equilibrium completely collapsed as it braced itself against the ground with its hands.

“What······”

The demon couldn’t hide its astonishment. It was only natural, considering I had dismantled all its patterns upon our first encounter.

It must have realized something was amiss. Moreover, this demon, despite its massive frame, had rarely fought against humans.

Thankfully, it had only recently turned blue. As soon as it fell, I swung the axe again.

Slash! Slash!

Not only did I sever the arm it had used to brace itself, but I also cleanly decapitated its head. Its head flew off and rolled across the ground.

In the meantime, signs of its leg regenerating began to appear, but it was already too late. Perhaps thanks to the lightning, its regenerative power had slowed significantly.

With that, I set down the axe and forcibly pried the greatsword from the demon’s grasp. Its hand reached out pitifully.

“Haaah!”

Letting out a battle cry, I slashed diagonally with the greatsword. I might not know swordsmanship, but this much was manageable.

Squelch!!

Thanks to the force behind my slash, the demon’s torso was cleanly cut. But this wasn’t the end.

As long as mana and its color remained, a demon would always regenerate. Even if it were torn to shreds or burned, it would be no different.

To finish it off, I would need to target the weak point containing its color. Fortunately, its body was already in pieces, and its head had flown off.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Perhaps because its torso was slashed diagonally into fragments, I could see a blue heart pulsing within its monochrome body.

It resembled a sphere more than a heart. Even so, it throbbed like one.

“Uwooooooo!!!”

The demon’s severed head let out a scream that was more like a roar than a cry.

I flinched momentarily at the sound, but it didn’t matter. I immediately drove the sword into the blue heart.

Now that the sword was in my hands, it would recognize me as its master. And my prediction was spot on.

“Wow······”

As soon as the sword pierced the heart, an overwhelming surge of mana flowed into my body. I couldn’t help but let out an exclamation.

Of course, since it was close to being a demonic sword, I’d have to ask Rod for help. I wouldn’t use it right away.

As I recall, it wasn’t so much that I wielded the sword, but that the sword wielded me.

It even caused a commotion to absorb more mana, so it’s not entirely untrue.

Crackle- Crackle-

The demon, having lost the color symbolizing life, met its inevitable end. It turned to ash and disappeared.

Since I had completely destroyed its color, it was only natural for the demon to vanish.

‘Come to think of it, I never asked its name.’

It probably doesn’t matter since I’ll remember it anyway. Not that it holds much significance.

At last, the demon turned entirely to ash and disappeared. The fight ended far more easily than I had anticipated.

Of course, it was a demon that had only recently turned blue, and I had thoroughly seen through its attack patterns, leaving it utterly defenseless.

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

“Huh?”

Just as I thought about cleaning up, the ground shook violently for some unknown reason.

As I tried to figure out what was going on, another sound reached my ears.

“Aaaaaaah!!”

“······?”

It was that priestess who had run away earlier. I was sure I had told her to escape, so why had she come back?

As I tilted my head in confusion, the priestess stammered with a pale face.

“Mo-Monsters······! There are so many monsters!”

“······And?”

“Th-There are too many······! Please, do something······!”

The priestess pointed toward the exit with a trembling finger. Feeling puzzled, I walked toward the direction she indicated.

As soon as I reached the exit, I understood why the priestess had screamed.

“Keek! Kekek!”

“Kirik! Keek!”

“Grrrrrr!!”

A swarm of monsters, including goblins, orcs, and ogres. At least dozens of them were gathered there.

I wondered why such a large group had gathered, but it didn’t take long to realize.

‘Ah. Was it because of that roar earlier?’

Demons inherently have the ability to command monsters. That roar must have been its final act of desperation.

Still, it didn’t matter. I looked at the writhing mass of monsters and extended a finger.

Vwoom-

A red aura began to gather at the tip of my finger. Smiling faintly, I spoke.

“Death Beam~”

Boom!!

As expected, the Death Beam is always fun.