A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Charging in with explosives strapped all over one's body. In 21st-century Earth, performing such a deed would get you universally maligned as a madman.

Initially, it's fundamentally unethical. If hostages are strapped with explosive vests, scenarios may arise where they must be killed out of necessity.

Moreover, if something is layered on top, it can be difficult to detect, often resulting in victims being powerless to react.

Hence, the explosive vest has garnered a reputation for being malicious and cruel.

It's one's only life being gambled in such an act; it's not likely to be well-perceived.

"Can't we just detonate it?! If other teams catch wind of this…"

"No! If it detonates, he might die! Just run!"

As I chased them like a madman, Luna's teammates, amidst their confusion, promptly fled.

One proposed detonating my explosive vest, but another opposed the notion. That's the dilemma of an explosive vest for you.

Detonating it might cause significant injury or death, which is problematic, and leaving it unchecked would be dangerous for oneself.

‘It's okay if it explodes, though.'

Of course, I'm not concerned if it does. I can simply take off the vest and not worry about any significant injury.

Even if I do get hurt, I can quickly recover due to regeneration. While others might risk losing their life, I won't.

It would probably just singe my clothes. Thanks to my remarkable regenerative ability, I can afford such lunacy, and it's quite entertaining.

‘Chaos would be pleased, so there’s no problem.'

No sooner had I pursued Luna's team with the bomb vest on than my faith surged. Seeing it rise instead of fall implies that Chaos is content.

The professors might have something to say, but I didn't care. Let me repeat, the reason for my actions is the absence of my right to attack.

Moreover, one might think that I don't comprehend ethics or anything. Perhaps I was simply inspired by an ingenious idea.

Giving the professors who imposed such absurd restrictions their comeuppance feels great, as does watching the team running from me now.

A primal chase has always been inherently fun. I herded the team to an appropriate location.

"What do we do if we run into another team?"

"Just keep running!"

Luna's team seemed worried about encountering others. By now, I must have attracted all the attention I could.

Having driven them to a suitable spot, I accelerated further, closing the gap between us and their expressions grew more alarmed.

"Oh, he's…!"

Swoosh!

Passing straight by, I reached the front runner, Luna herself.

She looked quite surprised to see me alongside her. I waved at her and then brushed past her completely.

"…"

"Where's he going?"

After I passed, Luna's team came to a slow stop. Their reactions were ones of sheer incomprehension.

No wonder, considering they expected me to detonate my vest just moments ago. Bewilderment would be an understatement.

But it was just a momentary respite I afforded them. Ahead lay a house I'd previously scoped out which hosted a familiar face.

"Hey, you lunatic! Where did you learn to do that?!?"

"Ka-Kara?"

It was Kara. As she and her team emerged from the house and saw me confidently walking in, Luna's eyes went wide with shock.

But now they surely realized the house I entered was Kara's, which I had identified earlier. I worried she might have left, but she was still there.

Kara was initially startled to see me waltz in, then panicked a second time upon seeing the bomb vest and ran outside.

"Take that off this instant! Remove it while I ask nicely!"

"No."

"Do you have any idea how insane this is…! Ugh! Seriously!”

Kara, who had undergone various real-life battle experiences, kept shouting to take it off, but I ignored her cleanly.

From her expression, she seemed more enraged than perplexed, and I had a feeling I would be sternly reprimanded later.

Still, the more pressing matter was the chase, so I fervently pursued both Kara's and Luna’s teams.

"Can't we just rip it off him?"

"And if something goes wrong? Even Sivar could get seriously hurt."

In the exam, implied alliances are allowed but temporary alliances are not. However, this was a case of fleeing from a significant threat.

Like running into a massive beast during a battle, there is no choice but to flee. Since combat isn't an option, escape is the best course of action.

"How about we split up and run? That seems better!"

"Let's do that!"

No chance. The moment they showed signs of scattering, I surged ahead as before.

As I blocked their path, any intention of splitting up dissipated altogether.

"Bomb!"

Boom!

And then I started tossing explosives intermittently. Anticipating this, I had several bombs tucked in my pockets.

As I herded them like this, I noticed the number of teams had increased at some point. Naturally, they were preoccupied with escape.

"Let's just unleash powerful magic spells at him! That should do it!"

Antonio, who had just joined the fray, bellowed his strategy. He'd been watching from a distance and decided to aggro me.

"If we do that to Sivar…"

"Better to be rid of that bastard than being manipulated by him! Disqualifying him is the best option!"

He was right. At that moment, I was already herding at least three teams.

More than ten people were being toyed with. By me, the one donning the bomb vest.

Perhaps that’s why people started to succumb to Antonio's persuasive words.

"That’s right! This is ruining the exam!"

"Shoot quickly! We can't go on like this!"

"We're already doomed! Damn that wildling!"

His irritation was palpable. It seemed about time to end my herding.

Since many had gathered, if I ran, they would sort themselves out in conflict. Even if they scattered, it would be inconsequential.

Their plans were already foiled, and my team was likely on their way to the desired location by now.

I started to slow my pace, intending to head elsewhere, when an outburst erupted.

"No, don't do it! Even so…"

"Take this!"

Something was lobbed my way amid the commotion. Judging by its round shape, it appeared to be a bomb.

I evaded it lightly with a step. The bomb hit the ground.

No, not a bomb—upon a closer look, it was just a plain stone.

‘What was that?'

Just as I wondered whether it was thrown at random, a noise came from where the object had disappeared from view.

Looking in that direction, I saw another round object rolling on the ground.

This time, it was indeed a bomb. It seemed they threw a feint in anticipation of my dodge.

And in that split second, it detonated just as I noticed it.

Boom!

First, the bomb next to me exploded.

And then—

Boom, boom, boom!

The explosive vest around me set off a massive blast.

******

As the massive explosion erupted, a powerful gale spread in all directions.

The students were forced to close their eyes due to the dust storm, and it wasn't until the wind stopped they could open them again.

"…Sivar?"

Kara was the first to open her eyes. She peered into the lingering dust and muttered quietly.

Even a bomb of relatively low lethality is still a bomb, and Sivar's body had been covered in them.

Even for Sivar, the situation seemed gravely dangerous. Kara looked at the dust cloud with a dazed expression before contorting her face in rage.

"You bastard…! What were you thinking?! Want to kill someone?!"

Grabbing Antonio by the collar, the man who had just thrown the bomb, Kara confronted him. Tall for a woman, with a fierce presence, she emanated a dangerous aura.

Regardless, Antonio was unfazed. He wriggled out of Kara's grip irritably and retorted.

"Should we just keep running? How can we properly do the exam then? Do you even realize what we’re doing here?"

"You'd exchange our lives for this damn exam?"

"If he's wearing an explosive vest, he's chosen to risk his life! Besides, the shield would activate, so he wouldn't die anyway!"

"You son of a…!"

While Kara and Antonio argued, Luna focused intently on the dust within the cloud.

Despite her special eyesight, the dust made it difficult to see, but now that dust was starting to clear.

‘I hope he's not too badly hurt…'

Luna knew of Sivar's extraordinary regenerative abilities. As long as regeneration remained, even death's door would not bar him from returning to full health.

Despite the severity of the explosion, the possibility of his recovery was high. What came next was the question.

What would Sivar's reaction be? Would he be angry, or, as ever, remain unfazed?

As she waited quietly, the dust cleared, and Sivar's form became evident.

"…Huh?"

"What's that…?"

But something was off. Instead of Sivar, there was only a spherical object—a shield that activates in moments of elimination or life-threatening situations.

"A shield? Why’s that there…?"

"Eh, what? It's a shield! He's disqualified!"

"Really? For real?"

Muttering in bewilderment, Luna was interrupted by another student’s shout. Hearing the cry, Kara and Antonio turned their gaze as well.

Clear as day, a shield stood in place. It was evident Sivar had been disqualified due to the blast.

"Finally, that guy is disqualified too! We're saved!"

"Hahaha! Yes! Disqualification is what he gets! Now we can relax!"

"So, he can be disqualified…?"

Students hugged each other, joyous over the apparent fact of Sivar's disqualification. As he had been a common enemy, their relief and joy doubled.

Kara, however, couldn’t entirely share their relief. It felt wrong to have disqualified someone through such underhanded tactics.

She also felt bitter about Sivar becoming the enemy of everyone in their group. That was a feeling she knew all too well.

‘Should I apologize and buy him candy later?'

As Kara scratched her head, uncertain and troubled, Luna cautiously approached the shield.

It was unthinkable for an explosion of that magnitude to disqualify Sivar. After a fierce fight with Hector, how could this blast do it?

It made no sense. Therefore, she needed to get closer to investigate.

Knock, knock, knock—

"Sivar? Are you there?"

She gently tapped on the shield, seemingly turned into an egg, and asked. If he was truly disqualified, he wouldn't answer.

Usually, when a shield activates, a sleep spell accompanies it. Luna concentrated and listened.

"…Really disqualified, it seems."

No response. Luna felt more stunned than pleased.

It was all so anticlimactic. Even without his right to attack, she expected Sivar to survive until the end.

Reality was reality, though, and Luna distanced herself slightly from the sphere.

Boom!

Then, a noise came from the shield. It sounded like it was struck, not with a fist but with a hammer's force.

Luna, hearing the sound, jumped back in surprise. And she wasn't the only one shocked by the noise.

"What's that? What noise?"

"Is it coming from the shield?"

"Nah. Maybe…"

Bang!!

While being skeptical, another noise sounded from the shield, which wobbled considerably this time.

As I mentioned before, if a shield is activated, a sleeping spell should be in effect. By now, he should be dozing off normally.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

The shield jittered with each loud noise. Everyone watched in silent anticipation.

Like witnessing a creature hatch from an egg, no one dared to act.

Crack! Crunch!

Eventually, cracks appeared in the shield. Despite an ordinary onslaught, the shield began to shatter.

All from the force within its confined space. Doubt filled some students' faces, contemplating whether all of this was even possible.

Crack, crack!

Then a hand burst from the shield. Despite being hit by an explosive, it seemed perfectly intact.

The hand flailed aimlessly in the air before finding the shield's surface and slowly pushing against it, gaining strength.

Crackling, crunching!

Slowly, frightfully, the person emerged: first an arm, then a head, a neck, and a chest.

The students stumbled backward, regards to outright terror.

"Phew."

Sivar, having fully emerged from the shield, shook his head vigorously.

Luna, startled by Sivar's self-resurrection, suddenly cast her gaze downward.

His clothes had been utterly blown away by the explosion, leaving nothing—pants and underwear included.

"…A sweet potato?"

Luna's eyes caught sight of a sweet potato in between Sivar's legs – but obviously, it was a different kind of ‘sweet potato.'

Realizing too late the other meaning of sweet potato, her face flushed a deep red. So red, it seemed as if the blood might drip from her fingertips.

"Oh, my…! That hideous…"

"Wow… Impressive."

"Hm! Hmmm!"

The others had no different reactions—some admired, some showed embarrassment.

Kara’s response was particularly amusing. She turned her head away but sneakily peeped through squinted eyes.

Her dark complexion made it difficult to catch, but her face was blushing more fiercely than ever before.

As the students stared in stunned silence at Sivar's nude performance…

Squeak!

[We announce the temporary suspension of the exam.]

The faculty couldn't bear any more and immediately halted the exam.

[Sivar, please get dressed immediately.]

They seemed mindful of human rights.