The Forest of Darkness Field Trip
When I opened my eyes to the sharp sting of morning sunlight stabbing through my eyelids, I genuinely wished this was all some cruel, low-quality illusion. But the awful creak of the decrepit bed digging into my back and the new student monster subjugation training plan sitting untouched on the table hammered home that this was an inescapable reality.
"Haa... I really don't want to go to work."
I splashed some water on my face, threw on the same musty old robe that still reeked, and pulled the mask over my head. Instead of the wooden training sword that had turned to ash in yesterday's training grounds, I grabbed a reasonably sturdy steel sword from the supply warehouse and strapped it to my waist.
My steps toward the academy's main building felt like they were weighted with lead.
—Creak.
The moment I slid open the door to the S-Class classroom, the twenty new students who had been chatting in small groups fell completely silent as if on cue. Whether it was the aftermath of me brutally smashing that ice golem yesterday, every pair of eyes that turned toward me carried a strange mix of wariness and fear.
"Everyone, take your seats."
As I stood in front of the lectern and spoke, the students snapped into their chairs with military precision, like fresh recruits standing at attention. Only the top student, Ien, sitting in the very front row, rested her chin on her hand and stared up at me with those crimson eyes.
Without wasting time, I pulled the crumpled training plan from my pocket and slapped it onto the lectern with a loud smack.
"Today's theory class is canceled. Everyone grab your weapons and personal gear and assemble at the academy's northwest gate."
"Huh? Why the equipment all of a sudden..."
The blonde noble, Denin—the one I'd smacked with a wooden sword yesterday and thoroughly cowed—cautiously raised his hand.
"Where else? It's monster subjugation training. The headmistress gave special orders, so starting today we're taking you lot into the Forest of Darkness. Got it?"
"Th-the Forest of Darkness?!"
The classroom erupted in an instant. A completely understandable reaction. The Forest of Darkness was a massive monster habitat located on the outskirts of the academy. Thick with poisonous miasma and black fog, it was a danger zone that even veteran knights entered with extreme caution. It was absolutely no place to drag brand-new students who had only just picked up their swords and staves.
"Professor! No matter how you look at it, isn't it too dangerous to throw us into the Forest of Darkness when we've only been enrolled for a week? And the supervising teacher is just..."
"Just me, and you have a problem with that?"
I cut Denin off and glared down at him with a crooked stance. He flinched and shut his mouth.
"I'm sick of this too, so take your complaints to the headmistress's office. When the higher-ups say jump, you jump. Oh, and for your information, your great Professor Ilana can't come today because she's busy with boundary maintenance work. So don't expect any healing magic if a monster bites your leg off in the forest."
One of the noble young ladies turned deathly pale and muttered, "S-so we have to go there relying on just this suspicious professor...?"
"Rely on me? Don't make me laugh. Your lives are your own responsibility. My job isn't to babysit you—it's to drag your half-dead bodies back out before you stop breathing."
I deliberately spoke even more roughly and menacingly, and the students' faces drained of color. Good. If I scared them this much, they probably wouldn't go running wild once we entered the forest.
"If there are no questions, pack your things and assemble in ten minutes. Anyone who's late gets left behind, and your practical score for this semester will hit rock bottom."
—
Northwest gate of the academy.
Beyond the massive obsidian pillars, a sinister, enormous forest loomed even in broad daylight, its maw gaping wide where sunlight barely reached. The thin black fog that clung to the entire forest seemed to crawl outward, a sight that killed anyone's appetite on sight.
"We're really going in there..."
"The smell alone is awful."
The sight of the students swallowing hard with extreme tension was almost comical. This was their first real combat experience, yet their equipment rivaled that of the royal knight order. Silver swords forged by dwarf artisans, high-grade robes treated with low-level magic nullification, and leather belts dangling with every kind of mana recovery potion imaginable. If I sold all that gear, I could lounge around doing nothing for years.
Among that dazzling group, my appearance—wrapped in a tattered robe with nothing but a cheap steel sword at my hip—made me look exactly like a low-rank mercenary.
"Alright, listen up."
I clapped my hands twice to draw their attention.
"We're entering the outer path of the Forest of Darkness now. There are exactly three rules. First, do not break formation. Second, if you encounter monsters, fight them using what you've learned. Third..."
I narrowed my eyes behind the mask and lowered my voice.
"Unless you're literally on the verge of death, don't whine at me for help. It's annoying."
The students looked dumbfounded, but no one dared openly protest. Yesterday's overwhelming display of force in the training grounds was still fresh in their minds.
"Then let's move out."
I took the lead and stepped into the fog. The twenty students followed close behind, visibly tense.
Crunch. Crunch.
The only sound filling the silent forest was the crunch of dry leaves underfoot. The air inside the forest was far colder and damper than outside. I could feel sticky gazes coming from every direction—the presence of monsters hidden in the darkness, drawn by the scent of intruders.
Even the outskirts of the Forest of Darkness are still the Forest of Darkness, huh. It's crawling with them.
I was clicking my tongue inwardly when—
"Kyaaaak!"
The bushes on the right shook violently as three pitch-black beasts burst out. They were shadow wolves, low-grade monsters common in the Forest of Darkness. Each was about twice the size of a normal wolf, with bloodshot eyes and sharp fangs dripping saliva that looked quite threatening.
"Eek!"
"M-monsters!"
As expected, the students froze on the spot. They might have memorized how to fight in their heads, but facing real monsters radiating thick killing intent seemed to lock their bodies up.
One of the shadow wolves leaped toward the nearest noble girl with its jaws wide open.
"Kyaaaaah!"
The girl screamed and collapsed to the ground. I sighed and reached for the hilt of my sword when—
"Haaap!"
A flash of silver sword light. The shadow wolf that had jumped into the air was sliced diagonally across its torso. It crashed to the ground, spraying black blood everywhere.
"Get a grip! Form up immediately!"
It was a very familiar, arrogant voice. Denin. As if trying to redeem yesterday's humiliation, he grit his teeth, drew his real sword, and stepped forward.
"Vanguard, form a defensive wall around me! Rear mages, prepare your spells!"
Oh ho.
I quietly let go of my sword hilt and leaned against a nearby tree trunk. I'd thought he was just an annoying noble brat, but it seemed his family had given him proper training in real combat command.
Spurred by Denin's shout, the swordsmanship majors quickly grabbed their shields and swords and moved forward, while the magic majors in the back began launching fire and wind spells.
Boom! Whoosh! Yipe!
The remaining two wolves were overwhelmed by the coordinated assault and collapsed, their bodies charred black in seconds.
Among the students who had safely overcome their first real battle, sighs of relief and cheers erupted.
"See? It wasn't that bad!"
"Nice work, Denin!"
Denin shrugged his shoulders and glanced my way with a proud look that seemed to say, I'm pretty impressive, aren't I? It looked like yesterday's beating had borne some fruit after all.
But my peaceful appreciation was brutally shattered by the cool voice that followed.
"Getting excited over just three low-grade wolves seems a bit premature."
It was Ien, standing at the very front. She tapped the ground with her white staff adorned with red decorations and stared deep into the thick fog of the forest we'd just traversed. Her crimson eyes gleamed.
"Didn't the professor say earlier? Don't ask for help unless you're about to die."
Ien turned to look at me, the corner of her mouth curving up slightly within her expressionless face.
"Then... is this the moment where it's okay to beg for help?"
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The moment she finished speaking, heavy footsteps that shook the ground began echoing from beyond the thick fog. Thick trees snapped with unpleasant cracks, and from the shadows emerged a massive figure that made the previous wolves look like puppies.
Two hideous heads. Glowing red eyes. Sticky drool that sizzled and melted the dirt wherever it fell.
It was an ogre—one of those horrific monsters that should only inhabit the deepest parts of the Forest of Darkness.
"N-no way..."
"Why is something like that in the outer area...?!"
The faces of Denin and the other students, who had been cheering just moments ago, twisted in terror and turned deathly pale like corpses.
I rubbed the back of my stiff neck and muttered a low curse.
"Haa... just my luck."
It was a filthy fate that refused to leave me alone. There was no way these kids, who were still wet behind the ears, could possibly hold out against such a monstrous beast. That wicked headmistress Lucy had clearly driven the deeper forest monsters out to the outskirts on purpose under the guise of "student training." She'd made up her mind to test my abilities and put me to work.
"Hey, little chicks. Lower your shields and step back."
I slowly drew the cheap steel sword from my waist and walked forward.
"If you make me do all this hard labor and don't even pay me overtime, I'm going to smash down the headmistress's office door first."
As the ogre's terrifying roar shook the entire forest, I slowly raised a thick aura filled with annoyance and irritation along the blade of my sword.