I'm Sivar (1)
While Ellie chatted idly with Sivar, Luna ventured into what she presumed was the wild man's cave dwelling. Even though it was morning, the cave was pitch black.
To counter that, she pulled an item from her pocket. It looked like an ordinary stone at first glance. But its true value revealed itself soon enough.
Flash!
The colorless stone erupted in brilliant light, illuminating the entire dark cave interior.
It was a glowstone issued by the academy for emergencies. Channeling mana into it made it shine automatically.
Holding the glowstone in one hand, she scanned every inch of the cave.
The first thing that caught her eye was the floor.
Leather?
Skins presumed to be bedding were scattered across the ground. Most were worn and tattered, but better than sleeping on the hard rock.
More importantly, each hide was enormous. Even accounting for shrinkage from age, they were huge.
Definitely that guy. Incredibly strong.
She'd gotten a rough sense when he'd instantly killed the Monkey, but his raw power was astounding. If it hadn't been for him, Ellie wouldn't be in this world anymore.
A horrific nightmare had nearly come true. Monkeys were among the toughest monsters to hunt—deceptively agile for their size, lethal the moment you let your guard down. And unlike that man, you couldn't take them out in a flash. Shattering a Monkey's leg with a crude stone axe was no small feat.
Large monsters usually have strong lower bodies. Hm?
As she swept the glowstone around, something suddenly drew her gaze. Stone axes and spears neatly lined up against the wall. He used spears too, apparently.
Luna carefully picked up one stone axe. A heavy weight transmitted through her hand. It looked utterly ordinary—a stone axe reinforced with sinew and leather, crafted with skilled hands.
Let's check it out.
In case it had some special property, she focused on it. Her eyes narrowed, and a glint sparked in her blue irises, shining like a beast's eyes in the dark night.
F+
Stone axe reinforced with sinew and leather for greater strength.
Sturdily made, but it will still break quickly against superiors. Still, its hardness makes it effective as a weapon.
Special Effects: None
A cascade of text appeared in Luna's vision, detailing the axe's properties. It was an innate ability she'd had since birth: focusing on an object revealed its relevant information. It let her distinguish poisoned food or claim valuable artifacts first.
She'd used it extensively back home, though she didn't know how she'd acquired it.
He shattered a Monkey's leg with this crude thing?
Luna's expression hardened as she read the description. Items had ranks, with higher ones boasting more abilities and effects. But this axe? No effects, and the lowest rank possible.
Yet he'd hunted a Monkey in seconds with it. Her own sword was F-rank, but his was at least B+—forged by her homeland's master smith at peak skill.
How strong was that man, exactly?
Luna set the axe back in its place.
This must be marking time spent here.
One wall was covered in tallies, like lines scratched daily. Roughly counting, it went past 1,000 before abruptly stopping. The man had survived in this forest for years, at minimum.
Did he stop after 1,000? Or had someone else lived here before him? Nothing was clear.
But given he didn't understand speech, maybe...
He could have grown up here from childhood.
She needed to see his face properly. His wild hair and beard hid it completely. No reason to groom in the wild.
Luna pressed deeper along the wall. The further in, the more skulls—presumed hunting trophies—lined up neatly.
Judging by the skull sizes, all large monsters...
The Monkey he'd crushed instantly, the Giant Bear—none ordinary. If he'd turned that power on her and Ellie... She didn't want to imagine it.
Fortunately, he seemed to see them as kin, but she couldn't drop her guard.
"...Huh?"
Following the wall, she'd reached the deepest part. But the glowstone revealed something odd on the wall: drawings. Crude, but definitely pictures.
Luna approached, entranced, shining the light directly on them.
This is... what the hell...
Illuminated fully, the mural came into view. The first depicted a person with family, crudely drawn with lines but unmistakably so. The art was awful, but that wasn't the point—the story was.
This is definitely the United Academy symbol...
The United Academy's emblem was a circle of stars. The lone figure separated from family, entering what seemed the Academy. There, battles with monsters, fights against devil-like fiends.
Not just combat: stabbings from behind, someone collapsed while another wailed skyward.
The standout was near the end. Luna stared, mesmerized. A figure ascending to the heavens, arms raised triumphantly—with wings sprouting from its back.
An angel?
It evoked legends of angels battling demons. She had no idea what it meant, but she could guess.
That man's life? No, there'd be writing if so.
The entire wall was images, no text. Was it really his? He knew the Academy symbol, so possible. But why draw this?
...No way.
As an absurd hypothesis formed, a familiar voice echoed from behind.
"Luna? What're you doing there?"
"Gah!"
The cave's echo startled her. Whirling around, she saw Ellie and the wild man side by side.
"Uh... um... well..."
Luna glanced at the back wall, then stepped forward to block the light. No reason she knew, but instinct screamed not to show the mural.
Composing herself, she spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
"J-just looking around. Why'd you come in suddenly?"
"Sivar came in, so we followed."
"Sivar?"
Luna tilted her head at the unfamiliar word.
"Shibal."
The man grumbled like he was answering, full of irritation. Luna eyed Ellie suspiciously.
"Wait, 'Sivar'—is that his name?"
"Yeah, I gave it to him. He says it every time he talks, right?"
"Shibal."
"See?"
The reflexive response left Luna dumbfounded. Not a dog or cat—this wasn't just any name. It stuck, memorable, but bizarre. Especially with his power.
"O... okay, got it. So we call him Sivar?"
"Shibal."
Absurd, but he reacted, so it worked. Luna glanced at the wall once more, then headed their way.
"Find anything?"
"No. Just monster skulls, stone axes, and spears."
She lied to Ellie's question. Her conscience pricked, but that mural couldn't leak. Better ignorance than needless chaos.
Reaching them, she sized up Sivar. Face-to-face, his build was massive—wild-honed muscles impressive.
"Sivar."
"Shibal."
"You... no, never mind."
She swallowed her words. Pointless if he didn't understand. Still, she needed to probe deeper. Communication first. Mystery and danger everywhere. So many questions about that mural.
"What now? Take him out like this?"
Ellie spoke as they stared. Luna pondered. She'd love to, but dragging a wild man outside? Housing, everything—speech barrier. Hard to pass as academy missing person; no ID possible. No origins, birth unknown. Wilder than barbarians. Yet insanely strong. A walking time bomb in her eyes.
Too many risks.
"No, that's tough."
"Why?"
"What then? Can't enroll, barely enter."
"Special admission?"
United Academy had special admissions for exceptional cases—undefined, but simple process.
Luna frowned, voice disbelieving.
"Get a professor's recommendation?"
"Yeah. Sivar's skill qualifies."
Direct professor endorsement, then tests. Pure meritocracy—no parachutes unless skilled enough to silence critics.
"Possible, purely on skill."
"Right?"
"But only skill. Everything else? Zero. No civilization traces?"
Blunt, but Ellie fell silent. All true. Sivar had Monkey-slaying prowess, but he was wild. An animal surviving the wilds, different species or not. Unchanging fact.
Ellie glanced at Sivar, standing mutely. Then back, timidly.
"We could teach him? Communication isn't zero—he gave me bear meat earlier."
"Bear... meat? What meat?"
"Bear meat. Pointed at me, nodded. Basic intent works."
Tough stomach. Luna thought. Communication secondary—raw bear meat? Wild-cooked hygiene dubious.
But worth testing. She eyed Sivar.
Approaching the wall, she knocked.
Tap-tap.
"Focus here, please."
"..."
She drew her sword, writing her name first.
"Know what this means?"
"...Shibal?"
"That's your name. This one?"
Sivar stared blankly. Expected—he was illiterate too. Speech-deaf, blind to writing. Total disaster. No enrollment, no normal life.
Oh. Shibal. Fucked for real?
Sivar, the wild man, thought similarly, stiffening in shock. He understood every word—insults included, but true, so silent. But seeing the writing? Doomed.
He got speech, not script. Alien letters—not English, not Korean. Utterly fucked.
Life's shibal.
He'd awaited exit, but now? Illiterate life impossible.
As their parallel yet divergent thoughts swirled, Luna pointed it out.
"See? Even special admission—daily life impossible. Toddler level."
"...Still, leaving him here's bad. He's human, Luna. Saved us."
Ellie persisted, desperate to bring Sivar to the academy. Luna felt the same, honestly. Without the mural, she'd have left him. But curiosity nagged. Reality blocked it.
She sighed at Ellie's unyielding gaze. Complicated mess.
"Doubt we can even lead him out. What if he stays? No guarantee he'll follow."
"True..."
"Later for that. First..."
As she leaned toward postponing, thunder crashed through the cave.
Krarung!
Earth-shaking roar. Not just thunder—the ground quaked like an earthquake.
"Kyaa!"
"W-what?!"
Sudden thunder and tremors panicked them. Thunder odd, quake worse. Weather had been clear, cloudless moments ago.
Something ominous brewed. Luna sensed it—
Tadot!
"S-Sivar?"
Instinct kicking in, Sivar gripped his axe and bolted out. Ellie called, but he was gone.
Krarung!!
Another boom shook the cave, dust raining. Collapse imminent.
"Out! It'll bury us!" Luna yelled.
"O-okay!"
Quakes with thunder spelled doom. This forest birthed endless chaos.
They burst outside. Sunny despite thunder. Blinding light aside, they spotted Sivar.
"Sivar?"
"Grrr..."
No answer, just beastly growl. Left hand clenched axe, body low in alert stance. Obvious wariness.
What threatened him? Their eyes followed—
An unexpected creature loomed.
"Squir... rel? Yeah, squirrel?"
"Looks like..."
A squirrel. Dog-sized, but unmistakably one. Adorably cute exterior—even puffed shoulders charmed.
But its next move shattered cuteness.
Survival of the fittest in Chaos Forest. It glared at Sivar, then flung arms wide.
"Kyaaang!!"
Cute cry, deadly intent. Heart-stopping.
Kwagwang!!
Blue lightning struck inches away. Literally hazardous.