Territory Marking (1)
The Academy decided to handle the storage of the Usk corpse directly. Apparently, they had a large freezer dedicated to preserving the freshness of materials, thanks to the existence of the Chaos Forest. In exchange, disassembly and butchering were mandatory, so a group of butchers gathered to take care of it. Incidentally, there were even non-combat students involved. Since Usk were such rare monsters, they were perfect for research and practice sessions. It made things a lot easier for me.
"It's been a while since I've done a Usk... I'll just do my best. The hunter is the owner, right?"
"Me. I mean, yes."
"Please sign here. This is top-grade material, so you must come pick it up in person with this paper. No proxies allowed."
I left even the baby Usk butchering to the professionals. No matter how capable I was, it was hard to disassemble it perfectly without specialized knowledge. Besides, butchers in this world were highly respected professions. With monsters around, they had no choice but to be important. You could butcher monsters right after killing them, but it was always better to leave it to the experts. The Academy even had majors dedicated to butchering in their non-combat tracks—need I say more? Butchers were closely tied to "blades," so they naturally specialized.
"Since it's a baby, it won't take long. Worst case, it'll be ready right around lunchtime. Want to come back then?"
"Yeah."
"Got it. Time to get my hands dirty after so long."
The butcher grinned, clearly thrilled by this unexpected haul. We'd settle the payment separately. Once Kara auctioned it off later, the money would roll in on its own. Until then, I could just enjoy the meals.
Just like that, while the Academy buzzed with activity over the Usk commotion—
"Sivar?"
"Yeah?"
A familiar voice caught my ear. I turned to see a squinting-eyed man looking at me. It was Godin.
Godin spoke up the moment I turned. "The president has summoned you. Luna and Ellie too."
"Me too?"
"Yes. Luna happened to be hanging around nearby, so she got called as well." Luna's eyes widened at the news. She'd have brushed it off if it were just me, but going together threw her off. Still, it was Lord Sherman's summons—no refusing that. I had nothing else to do anyway. The Usk butchering would wrap up around lunchtime, so a tasty dinner would cap off the day.
"Probably about what happened today. Let's go."
"Mm... Okay. Professor Godin, they didn't call Kara unnie?"
"No, just the two of you."
I didn't know why, but Kara hadn't been summoned. Probably only those who'd ventured deep into the Chaos Forest. Right before heading out, I got permission from Grace directly. Sorry for ditching my bodyguard duties so often.
"Can't help it if it's the president. But you have to give me the rundown later, okay?"
"Yeah."
She was sharp enough to subtly fish for info. Grace was trustworthy enough.
We headed to the president's residence next. On the way, Luna kept glancing toward the Usk. She clearly had something to say about it.
"Luna."
"Uh, yeah?"
"Something to say?"
I asked outright. The Usk was all mine, so it was fine.
Luna hesitated when I pointed it out, looking conflicted about whether to speak up.
"Um... Sivar?"
"Yeah."
"This might sound shameless..." She hemmed and hawed before finally speaking, glancing at the Usk and flashing an embarrassed smile. Then, with a tone of self-deprecation, she made her request.
"You gave Kara that blade tusk, right?"
"Yeah."
"If any are left over, could I have a little?"
That's what might make it shameless, I thought. She'd probably gotten greedy seeing me give one to Kara. It was a cute request, if anything. Anyone else might've seemed greedy, but Luna's greed was different.
"Why the blade tusk? Making a weapon?"
"Yeah."
"Don't you have that sword from the village? Did it break?"
Ellie voiced her confusion at Luna's request. As she said, Luna had a pretty high-quality sword right now—one that was useful through the early-to-mid game.
"Not that... I just want one. Honestly, it looked kinda cool."
"You want to make one because the material's cool?"
"Embarrassing, but spot on. Hard to get stuff like that anywhere else."
Luna just thought the blade tusk was cool, plain and simple. No interest in selling it for cash—just pure focus on the weapon. Maybe her "eyes" had already gauged its value. Even so, she chose gear over gold.
"No."
Of course, no meant no. I shut it down firmly. Luna sighed, like she'd half-expected it, but she wasn't fully giving up.
"Ugh... Really no? You gave one to Kara unnie as a gift..."
"Kara strong. Luna weak."
"...That's harsh."
She pouted at the cold, hard facts but backed off quick. Still, she grumbled with pursed lips. No helping it, though. The blade tusk had shredded my hand like a rag without any prep. A sword or axe from that would be a monsterpiece—viable not just mid-game, but late-game too.
But she'd rely on the weapon instead.
Hand her a top-tier weapon, and things'd get easy—for a while. Mid-game at best. Rely too much on gear, and your skills atrophy, exposing your weaknesses. Like the saying: a true craftsman doesn't blame his tools. Until Luna powered up personally, no dice.
"Get strong, then I'll give."
"Give if I get strong?"
"Yeah."
"How strong?"
"Kara level."
No more, no less—match Kara, and it'd be hers gladly. Would take time, but it lit a fire under her. Luna nodded seriously. Kinda funny getting motivated over one weapon, but she was dead serious, so I let it slide.
"Got it. As strong as Kara unnie?"
"Yeah."
"I'll try. No, I will."
The materials would last till then anyway. Meat'd be gone by then, though.
We chatted idly the rest of the way to the president's residence—not the main building, but the place I'd stayed before.
"Come in. Looks like you had quite the exciting day."
Lord Sherman greeted us warmly the moment we arrived, a steaming teacup in hand. He guided us to seats around a familiar table.
"I've heard the news. You took down a Usk?"
"Not me—Sivar did it alone."
As expected, the topic was the Usk. Strictly speaking, it was probably about high-rank monsters like that showing up. Ogres counted as mid-tier, but Usk were solidly high-tier. Non-aggressive or not, danger level was danger level.
"Heard the disassembly's going smoothly... Do you know why I called you here?"
"Sorry, no clue."
"Me neither."
I had no idea either. Why the sudden summons? Lord Sherman sipped his tea at our answers, then spoke gravely.
"Because you're the students who first met Sivar and Ratatosk. Speaking of, do you know where Ratatosk is?"
"... ..."
Ellie gave an awkward smile at the question about Porori's whereabouts. Luna too. But they couldn't dodge it. Ellie explained the whole thing.
"Hm. Tough situation. But regardless, get him checked for STDs."
"Animals can get STD tests?"
"Why not? Why do you think we have vets at the Academy?"
Poor Porori, suddenly facing an STD check. I held back a laugh as best I could. He'd phrased it comically, but it was tragic. Laughing would be rude to a fellow beast.
"Anyway, I have questions. What was it like when you entered deep into the Chaos Forest? Louder than now?"
Lord Sherman cut to the chase after Porori. First up: changes in the Chaos Forest. Ellie poked her cheek and answered.
"Not really loud. I'd have died to that Monkey without Sivar... But aside from that, surprisingly quiet?"
"Ellie's right. Surprisingly quiet place."
Forests were like that—peaceful until sudden crisis. Chaos Forest was a forest first, so mostly quiet. Nothing like the monster frenzy now.
"As expected. The internal issues should improve over time. The problem's the monsters pushed outward and those flowing in from outside."
"Won't the outskirts stabilize slowly too?"
Lord Sherman shook his head at Ellie's question. He saw it differently.
"I thought so at first. But hearing about the Usk changed my mind. It's not broken 'balance'—it's a broken 'boundary.'"
"Broken boundary..."
"Monsters from outside will keep flowing in. Losers of internal competition will settle the outskirts. That forms new territories, prime prey for outsiders."
I got what he meant. Simple terms: outskirts turning inner-forest-like. Before, boundaries were clear—strong monsters inside, weak ones and beasts outside. But with me and Porori gone, inner food chain got brutal, losers spilling out. Headache enough, but worse: predators like Usk following their prey. Not just Usk—the northern ogre too, the one bisected.
"As you know, Chaos Forest borders every environment except deserts. Perfect for outsiders slipping in."
"Weren't there few inflows before?"
"Outskirts and inside were nearly cut off. Not anymore. Boundaries blurring, outsiders flowing naturally."
As I said, deep forest and outskirts had sharp lines before. Outsiders ignored weak outskirts prey. Rare deep intruders were the strong ones, drawn by mana instinct. Now boundaries fuzzy, inflows natural.
"If this repeats, outskirts—and even the Academy—face big threats. We're watching for now, but it could spiral."
"Academy in danger too."
Luna nailed it; Lord Sherman nodded. That was key. Outskirts going inner-forest? Disaster. Imagine Usk everywhere—students and profs helpless. Lord Sherman could handle it, but he was one man.
"Humans strong, but powerless against fierce nature. Act now to secure the Academy."
"So you need Sivar and Ratatosk because..."
"I'm asking them to create 'territories' on the Chaos Forest outskirts."
That's why the Porori whereabouts. I saw his plan. Broken boundary? Remake it. Simple, effective. Me and Porori once split the inner forest as apex predators. Naturally marked territories often.
Ignorers got eaten.
In wild, territory invasion was life-or-death challenge. Win: claim it. Lose: die. Early weak days, I hid from Porori's gaze. Grew stronger, started marking. Other predators marking? I smashed skulls with stone axes; Porori caved chests with Iron Mountain. Rivalry repeated till we split the turf.
"Territories secure outskirts, clarify boundaries. Cull invaders along the way. What do you say?"
"I'll do it. I mean, yes."
Couldn't sit idle, so I accepted readily. Porori likely would too. Fewer inflows, handle inner losers directly. Lord Sherman smiled broadly at my straightforward answer—clearly been agonizing over it.
"Thanks. Need anything? Any support, name it."
"Food please."
"Haha, same as ever."
He laughed heartily, taking it as a joke. But more food meant firmer markings.
That raised a question. "So, Sivar, how're you gonna mark territory? Got a plan?"
Ellie timed it perfectly. Lord Sherman and Luna looked curious too. Under their stares, I answered calmly, blunt as ever.
"Poop and pee."
"...Huh?"
Humans mark borders with lines. Beasts? Rub trees for scent/fur, or leave waste. Varied methods, but waste was surest. I favored it for marking.
"Sure mark. No one comes."
"R-Right. That'd work for sure."
"...Most beasts do that."
They looked uneasy. No surprise—unthinkable method. Except Luna, who went from shocked to pensive.
"...Sivar."
"Yeah."
"Then what I stepped in back then... wasn't... right?"
She asked after thinking. Remembering that marking trace, probably. She'd played dumb then... but yeah, it was.
"What?"
I tilted my head, playing dumb. She gave more details.
"Um... when we first met, that thing I stepped in. That was yours?"
Yep, my mark. Your bad luck. Words rose to my throat, but I swallowed. Felt too bad for Luna—had to lie.
"...Dunno?"
Secret to the grave. Otherwise, guilt'd make me cave to anything. Luckily, she dropped it. But suspicion lingered, face uneasy.
Gotta give her a blade-tusk sword later.
First debt of conscience.