Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Trigger for the World's Change is Surprisingly Trivial. (1)
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The trigger for the world to change is surprisingly trivial.
"The most important thing for Heroes and heroes is trials."
On the platform erected in the plaza of Hero Academy, a male instructor with a fierce expression was delivering a speech.
"Only by overcoming difficult trials can you grow strong. Only then can you become the ones who save the world later!"
Standing in neat rows before him were dozens of teenagers—the freshmen who had just enrolled in Hero Academy this year.
In other words, every single one of them possessed the qualities of a Hero or a hero.
On top of that, this year was a class that had drawn massive expectations, with as many as six students possessing Hero qualities among the enrollees.
No matter how much people from across the continent gathered here.
Considering that a typical class only had two or three with Hero qualities, this was two or three times the usual number.
In any case, there was one reason they had gathered in the plaza today.
"Today, you will face monsters for the first time."
It was the first practical training session for Hero Academy's freshmen.
"Kyaa! The day has finally come."
"Phew, I thought I was gonna die of boredom."
"Hmph, as if we need any training."
The boring days spent cooped up in the training grounds for over two weeks were finally over.
The young Heroes and heroes who would shoulder the future had already demonstrated sufficient qualities, having received genius-level education from their families since childhood.
In truth, things like theory classes or training held little meaning for them.
To begin with, the academy's required curriculum didn't even include theory, necessary knowledge, or common sense.
'Theory is different from practice. Learning theory narrows your field of vision in real combat and dulls your movements.'
Based on that belief of the founding principal, they stubbornly insisted on learning solely through real combat.
Facing combat without any prior knowledge fit perfectly with their creed that 'trials make Heroes and heroes stronger.'
In fact, this was exactly why Kane was called a 'pseudo-instructor.'
He knew nothing of real combat and only taught knowledge and theory from books.
From their perspective, he was someone who clung to an educational style that contradicted their ideology—not even worthy of being called an instructor.
That was the kind of place Hero Academy was.
No one knew that his theory lessons, grounded in vast knowledge, had actually improved the academy students' survival rates.
"Real combat! Only the experience gained in real combat will make you strong and keep you alive!"
Training and real combat.
Dungeons and monsters.
Those were the alpha and omega of Hero Academy, the world's greatest educational institution.
"Real combat always takes the form of mock missions. The first mission you will be given is... this!"
When the instructor pointed behind him during his speech, a large banner unfurled with a whoosh.
And written on it was a simple sentence.
"...Hunt down 10 orcs and bring back proof?"
Orcs.
They varied by terrain, but the most basic forest orcs had green skin, a massive build around two meters tall, and pig-like features.
They also had exceptional reproductive capabilities, making them a common monster found everywhere across the continent.
Of course, their commonality didn't mean they should be underestimated.
As individuals, they required at least a D-rank adventurer to handle, and since they hunted in packs, the typical subjugation difficulty was C-rank.
On top of that, there were elite variants equipped with high-level gear or skills.
Those could reach B-rank or even A-rank subjugation difficulty.
Among them, the most feared calamities were the Orc Lord and Orc Rush.
The Orc Lord was a disaster-grade monster with the power of a lesser demon or higher on its own.
Orc Rush referred to sudden invasions by tens or even hundreds of thousands of orcs.
When an Orc Lord appeared, an Orc Rush often followed, but sometimes rushes happened without a lord, so they were generally treated as separate phenomena.
In any case, both were S-rank or higher disasters.
Typically, a single hero was B-rank to A-rank.
A Hero was S-rank or above.
In other words, even one hero could barely defeat an elite variant alone.
If an Orc Lord appeared or an Orc Rush occurred, it required a Hero to step in.
Moreover, given their vast numbers, Orc Lords and rushes happened fairly frequently across the continent.
If Heroes didn't emerge so steadily worldwide, the world would have already ended.
In conclusion, orcs were terrifying monsters that could absolutely not be ignored.
But...
"Orcs? How boring."
"I thought it'd at least be ogres."
"Since it's Hero Academy, I figured they'd teach us how to fight demons from the start."
The freshmen all reacted with apathy.
And that made sense because...
"I've already hunted orcs when I was 12."
"If the knights in my family can take them down easily, there's no way I, a hero, can't."
"A Hero's sword isn't meant to cut down such pathetic, lowly creatures."
They had already hunted orcs themselves or seen those weaker than them do it effortlessly.
One fact they were overlooking.
When they had hunted orcs, knights and mages had stood by ready to assist without letting them get hurt.
They didn't realize that those 'weaker' individuals had honed their skills by slaying hundreds or thousands of orcs.
But of course, they had no way of knowing that, and these kids were already puffed up with the realization that they were Heroes or heroes.
So, they figured that even as freshmen, hunting 10 orcs would be a piece of cake.
"The location will be Soltear Forest, which belongs to our academy."
Regardless, the fierce-faced male instructor continued speaking.
Soltear Forest.
It was a fairly large forest visible immediately to the east of Carmen.
Owned by Hero Academy, it was private property that no one could enter without their permission.
Inside, orcs, ogres, goblins, and other beasts lived in divided territories.
"Try not to stray out of the orcs' territory if at all possible."
Of course, the academy's instructors weren't idiots, so they had implemented basic safety measures.
They had divided territories for each monster type and set up barriers to prevent crossings.
But occasionally, students broke through the barriers and wandered elsewhere, hence the warning.
"Alright, let's move out. The deadline is noon tomorrow."
Current time: 12 p.m.
Exactly 24 hours had been allotted.
They had to hunt 10 orcs within 24 hours.
In truth, that alone wasn't so difficult.
If they had the combat prowess to beat orcs, they could clear it in as little as three or four hours.
But the problem was... over 80 people moving in the same area solely to hunt orcs.
The estimated number of orcs living in Soltear Forest's orc territory was around 1,500.
In other words, more than half would be killed in this training exercise.
One might wonder if that would affect future exercises or the ecosystem.
But Hero Academy owned five such private forests near the capital.
They selected training sites for each grade considering the forest's condition and various factors, so there was no worry.
In any case.
With more than 80 competitors eyeing over half the orcs.
If they didn't snag their 10 quickly at the start...?
At first, the orcs would rampage wildly against those trying to kill their kin, making it easy to rack up 10.
But soon, realizing they couldn't win, the orcs would hide to preserve their lives.
Once that happened, with their numbers already dwindling and now hiding to boot.
They might have to run nonstop for the full 24 hours searching for orcs.
But the freshmen?
"24 hours? Aren't they giving us too much time?"
"Are they telling us to take a break or something?"
"Tch, I heard the curriculum was super intense, but they're going easy on freshmen after all?"
"Sigh... To waste 24 whole hours slicing down such worthless trash."
None of them gave it a second thought.
They even grumbled that it was too much time.
A proper instructor might have said a word or two to students underestimating orc combat and the harshness of real training.
Unfortunately, these guys were less 'instructors' guiding students properly and more 'seniors' eager to give cocky juniors a harsh wake-up call.
'Kukuku, go on and experience it for yourselves. See if things go the way you want.'
Harboring thoughts utterly unbecoming of an instructor, the fierce-faced man kept a straight face outwardly.
While snickering inwardly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A beautiful girl with long hair the clear blue of a spotless sky walked through Carmen's eastern plaza, her pretty face scrunched in a frown.
She wore lightweight yet sturdy blue light armor reinforced with ceramic plating—an item that required alchemy to produce, making it usable only by the truly wealthy.
At her waist hung an ornate longsword with a golden hilt embedded with colorful jewels.
'Pathetic. Even Hero Academy can't accommodate someone as extraordinarily talented as me?'
Her identity: one of the six Heroes among this year's Hero Academy freshmen.
Lynn Pacific.
The seventh child of Orlando Pacific the 15th, current king of the Pacific Kingdom.
She wielded magic of water and ice alongside the sword.
A Hero with the talents of a magic swordsman.
What could have so displeased a princess of a kingdom and bearer of a Hero's power?
'Just orcs? Orcs? In our kingdom, a couple of lowly footsoldiers could take them down!'
It was because the practical assignment from Hero Academy was a mere '10 orcs.'
She had seen orcs felled by soldiers not even worthy of her toe.
And orcs had such disgustingly repulsive appearances to boot.
Pig-like faces and a revolting stench.
Not to mention their filthy habit of being obsessed with breeding, constantly engaging in base acts.
'To let that touch my cherished blade... Ice Break...?'
She simply couldn't accept this assignment.
But Hero Academy was a mandatory step on the path to becoming a Hero.
And if she failed to graduate...
'Lynn. If you don't become a Hero, you're utterly useless.'
"......"
For a moment, she recalled the words spoken to her by Orlando Pacific—king of the Pacific Kingdom and her own father.
With an utterly indifferent expression.
"...Sigh, yes. I have to endure this much humiliation. If I want to... become a Hero."
...To become a useful daughter.
Her back, as she muttered to herself, somehow looked forlorn.