The Academy’s Barbarian Chapter 69

(2)

4.

1-star monster, dusk.

This is a type of spider that crawls on the ground without spinning a web.

Also, its habits are similar to other spiders. Everything from being very alert to being nocturnal.

However, there is one thing that is different.

It was the size.

Let’s go!

Eight bridges through the forest.

Every time the dusk moves, the lush bushes also shake. It has to be that way. Because it was as big as a calf.

This is why it is classified as a ‘monster’ even though it has habits similar to ordinary spiders.

Then at that moment.

Stand tall!

The dusk stopped in place. The guy suddenly starts twitching with his belly raised high.

There are many reasons for these eccentricities.

The dusk is sensitive to magical power.

Therefore, it determines whether the opponent is a predator or prey based on the concentration and flow of magical power. The part that sensed this magical energy was the tail.

Some time after that.

The guy has made his decision.

[Grrr!]

The concentration of magic power was as thin as smoke and the flow was weak, as if it would stop at any moment. This is not a predator. It is the magical power emitted by prey and prey.

It’s hard to finish judgment.

Sasak! Let’s go!

The twilight race has begun.

After kicking off the ground and passing through the bushes, I finally saw my destination in the distance. Soon the shape of the prey came into view.

“… … .”

A small, silver-haired girl.

The girl stared into space with an expressionless face. I don’t know why it’s doing that.

At that time, pitch-black objects came into view.

It was just other dusk.

[Kirilik! Good luck!]

[Click!]

The pitch-black ground swarms flocked from all directions and screamed fiercely. The reason is obvious. It would be to claim ownership of that game.

But this is foolish.

When hunting in a forest like this, the one who sinks his teeth in first is the winner.

[Kyahaaa!]

The dusk opened its grotesque jaws wide.

To sink its countless protruding teeth into the girl’s neck and suck out her bodily fluids.

But at that moment.

Flash!

With a fleeting flash of light.

Suddenly, the girl disappeared.

The twilight’s jaws only chewed the empty space, and soon everyone’s eyes were filled with questions.

Where did it go? Was it right in front of you just a moment ago? At the moment when such a question occurred to me, the dusk’s stomach suddenly trembled violently.

[…] … !]

Powerful magical power suddenly detected.

This magic that was felt as soon as the girl disappeared was clearly that of a predator.

Sensing the danger, the dusky people tried to leave the place without anyone asking first.

Of course, it was already too late.

Whoa!

With the sound of crossing the wind.

A large shadow was cast. A barbarian with his upper body naked. He fell straight toward a place filled with dusk.

Quaaaaaaaaa!

A roar that shakes the ground. A shock wave occurred instantly and swept the surrounding area. And this was my last memory of dusk.

Quack! Crack! Pow!

This is because the sharp ax split the bodies of all the spiders, along with a strong shock wave.

Eventually, the cloudy dust cleared.

Soon a terrible scene unfolded.

All the spiders turned into mush. None of them maintained their original shape. Ulan muttered, shaking the fluid off her axe.

“Everything has been taken care of.”

“Yeah, I guess something like that.”

A silver-haired girl, Delia, suddenly appeared from a bush a little distance away.

This battle is a hunting method devised by the two.

First, Delia, who freely uses magical power, deliberately releases a weak magical energy to lure the monsters that are spread throughout the forest.

Next, Ulan came out from hiding and took out the monsters in a very simple way.

‘Of course there is an easier way.’

Right now, just by using the 6-star magic, ‘Star Bombardment’, Delia will be able to kill dozens of monsters at once.

And this is also true for Ulan.

Ulan became adept at hunting monsters and demonic beasts. So, if you just let them loose in the forest, quite a few monsters will dry up your seeds.

‘but… … .’

I couldn’t do that this time.

Professor Stella, who recognized the strength of the two, imposed restrictions.

And as a result, Delia promised to use only magic of 2 stars or lower, and Ulan was prohibited from using aura, spirit, and magic.

One more thing here.

The purpose of this test is to test cooperation, so the two must work together to hunt the monster.

That was the reason why monsters were hunted in such a cumbersome way.

‘But it’s surprisingly okay.’

Because the time I spent with Ulan increased.

Delia laughed bitterly.

This was around the time when teeth were being recovered from the corpses of groundworms to be used as trophies.

“I am sorry.”

Suddenly Ulan spoke up.

An apple out of nowhere. Did Ulan have anything to apologize to me? Delia asked curiously.

“huh? what?”

“You like spiders. “I should have left at least one for a late-night snack.”

Ulan pointed to the corpses scattered everywhere.

Spiders that have been crushed and become unrecognizable. Because it will be difficult to eat like this.

Meanwhile, Delia, realizing his intentions, shook her head.

“I feel grateful, but it’s okay.”

They can’t eat it anyway.

In the first place, edible spiders are limited.

Among them, the only spiders that Delia liked were honey spiders, jewel spiders, and sugar spiders.

When I told Ulan this fact, he nodded with an interested look on his face.

“Right. “Knowledge has increased.”

Ulan always makes this look when he learns new facts. Delia smiled slightly as she looked at him.

It wasn’t a big deal, but I was glad that Ulan thought of me and cared about me.

Eventually, after the loot was recovered.

Delia opened her heavy sack wide.

“The harvest is pretty good.”

The sack was full of loot obtained from hunting monsters. A 1-star monster has over a hundred body parts. Furthermore, there were dozens of 2-star monster trophies.

“I can stop hunting today.”

What an achievement this is in just half a day.

Delia smiled with satisfaction. At this rate, first place was almost certain.

On the other hand, Ulan’s reaction was different.

“already?”

“huh. “You caught so many.”

“It still seems like it’s not enough.”

An expression that says this alone is not enough.

Delia asked curiously.

“How much were you planning on catching?”

“About a thousand.”

“… … “You don’t have to catch it until then.”

It’s a good thing I asked in advance.

If it were Ulan, it would be more than enough to actually do it. Delia sighed and patted Ulan’s arm.

“Anyway, let’s stop here for today.”

“Well, I understand. “Follow my opinion.”

Surprisingly, Ulan agrees obediently.

He looked up at the sky and muttered.

“It would be better to rest when it rains.”

“Yes? rain?”

Delia also reflexively looked at the sky.

Then at that moment.

Tuk! Fight!

Raindrops fell on my pure white forehead.

Judging by the fact that the raindrops were quite thick, it looked like it was going to rain quite heavily.

Ulan spoke while carrying a sack full of loot on his shoulder.

“Let’s go back to camp.”

“Okay, I get it.”

Delia nods her head obediently.

After that, the two walked briskly. And soon a strong downpour hit the forest.

5.

When I first entered the forest.

Before the full-scale hunting, Ulan and Dilia prepared a base camp. A temporary base was essential to living in the forest for three days.

Among several potential sites, the final choice was a naturally occurring cave near a large canyon on the outskirts of the northern forest.

A cave formed on the wall of a cliff.

It was perfect for avoiding the rain. There was no need to worry about rainwater coming in.

However, the problem was that the road to the cave was quite rough. Of course, it wasn’t much of a problem for Ulan.

“Hold on tight.”

As soon as Ulan finished speaking.

Delia quickly jumped onto his back. He wrapped his slender arms around her neck and tied vines around her arms to prevent her from falling.

After a while, after everything is ready.

Suddenly, Delia burst out laughing.

“It looks just like a cicada stuck on a tree.”

It was because he felt like he was clinging to Ulan. Then Ulan tilted his head as if asking what he was talking about.

“Heavier than a cicada.”

“… … shut up.”

He pulled his cheeks with a sullen expression.

But the joke is short-lived.

As the rain became more intense, Ulan immediately clung to the cliff wall. He then skillfully moved up the wall using his arms and legs.

Just like a centipede crawling.

It was a rather ugly sight when seen from a distance, but the effect was amazing. Because it wasn’t long before I was able to reach my destination.

“Arrived.”

As soon as you enter the cave.

Delia jumped down.

A dark cave. Since she couldn’t see anything, she looked back at Ulan.

“First, let’s start with a fire.”

To prepare for situations like this, I had already collected dry firewood and leaves. Ulan brought the things he had left in the corner of the cave to the entrance.

Soon Delia stretched out her hand.

Paaaat!

Firewood that shines dazzlingly.

This is a 1-star magic called ‘Starlight Condensation’. A magic that literally collects the magic power of stars, generates strong heat, and then starts a fire.

After such a short time has passed.

Good luck! Grumble!

The bonfire was soon completed. Enough light to take away the darkness of the cave. The heat was just right for drying wet clothes from the rain.

After finishing her work, Delia approached the backpack she had placed inside the cave. She wants to change into extra clothes. But before that.

“… … If you look this way, you can’t.”

“I don’t see it.”

After hearing Ulan’s confirmation.

Only then did Delia take off her clothes one by one.

Sarah! Slurp!

From blouses to shorts and socks.

As soon as I took off all my clothes except my underwear, my clean naked body was revealed.

Skin so white that it is transparent.

The body had a flawless appearance, reminiscent of an artisan’s pottery.

She took out the dry towel she had prepared in advance and thoroughly wiped the remaining moisture on her body. She soon took out her fluffy pajamas and put them on.

I glanced back at the cave entrance.

Then, what was reflected in the golden eyes was Ulan, staring outside and not moving at all. Delia narrowed her eyes.

‘I really don’t see it.’

It’s normal to feel relieved.

For some reason, I felt a strange feeling. It’s a feeling that can’t be explained in words.

But that too for a moment.

Delia, having achieved her goal, returned to Ulan’s side. After laying out her wet clothes near her fire, she poked Ulan with her finger.

“… … “Everyone, I changed.”

“is it.”

“Now, Ulan, it’s your turn.”

“What do you mean?”

“Clothes, I mean. “Aren’t you going to change?”

Even if you say that your upper body is always naked, your pants are already soaked with rainwater.

It looks uncomfortable just by looking at it.

On the other hand, Ulan reacted calmly.

“You can dry it while wearing it.”

“what? “It feels uncomfortable, doesn’t it?”

“very.”

An insignificant answer came back.

It was worth it. Because I went through worse situations than this in my past life.

Even when the battle lasted two days and nights and he was drenched in the monster’s bodily fluids, Ulan did not change his clothes. To be exact, there was no time for that.

‘Compared to back then… … .’

This is not uncomfortable at all.

Even if you call it rainwater, it is still water. If you stay by the campfire, it will eventually dry out.

“I see.”

Delia nodded.

I don’t quite understand, but since he says he’s okay, it probably doesn’t matter. Closing her mouth, she sat by her fire in silence.

“… … .”

At the same time, the conversation stopped.

An awkward silence that came suddenly.

When only the sound of pouring rain was pounding in her ears, Delia, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, cleared her throat.

“Hmm! Ulan.”

“hmm?”

“Would you like to have a midnight snack?”

Ulan’s eyes lit up at the mention of a late-night snack.

“Is there anything worth eating?”

“You know what I collected earlier.”

Just as I entered the forest.

When Ulan searched for a suitable base, Delia collected various things.

Of course, the only things I could gather were a few honey spiders, rhinoceros beetle larvae, and non-poisonous mushrooms.

“Here, get some water, will you please?”

Delia took out a small pot.

It’s not that difficult. Ulan, who accepted it, filled it with the rainwater that was pouring down hard and handed it to him.

“thank you.”

Finally, a short thank you note.

She started cooking.

First, place a pot on a bonfire and then add all the honey spiders with their legs removed.

Fondant! with a plop!

Next, the head of the rhinoceros beetle larvae was removed, the intestines removed, and then thrown into boiling water. Lastly, add the thinly sliced ​​mushrooms and sprinkle an appropriate amount of salt.

“With this, it’s complete.”

The body of a spider is bloated.

From beetle larvae shriveled up like dried sea cucumbers to mushrooms soaked in just the right amount of broth. If you look at its appearance alone, it was truly a strange meal.

On the other hand, Ulan’s reaction was different.

Instead of looking at something disgusting, I looked at the dish with a perspective of familiarity.

“This is the emergency diet of the Arpen Rangers.”

“… … !”

I’m afraid those words will end.

Delia opened her eyes wide. Like she was really surprised.

“Uh, how do you know?”

“heard.”

To Delia from her past life.

And I often made it and ate it whenever I had to sleep out in the forest. Most of the other colleagues also enjoyed their meal.

‘Except for just two people.’

A saint and a bard.

Even in the extreme environment, the two never tasted bug food until the end. They say it would be better to starve to death.

A nostalgic memory suddenly came to mind.

When Ulan burst out laughing.

“That’s right. “This is a recipe I learned while living with the rangers.”

Delia nodded.

As if what he said was correct.

“The people of Arpen undergo self-denial training four times a year from the age of nine until they become adults.”

spring Summer Fall Winter.

It is received once per season, and the training period lasts from three days to a week. And this was no exception, even for royalty.

While staying in the forest with the rangers every year, I accumulated a variety of knowledge. The recipe for this emergency meal was also information I learned at that time.

“So, I’m used to situations like this.”

It was a time when I was eating late-night snacks like I was hiding my eyes.

After finishing talking about the past, Delia hugged her knees. Then she kissed her lips again.

“Of course, not as much as Ulan.”

No matter how much self-denial training they have been doing every year, it is nothing compared to Ulan. Because he was originally a barbarian who was born and raised in the grasslands and forests.

Meanwhile, Delia glanced at Ulan. As if she had something to wish for. Then she spoke straight away.

“I want to hear Ulan’s story.”

“my story?”

“It’s unfair for me to be the only one talking.”

Delia nodded.

I also wanted to hear about his past.

In order to develop a relationship beyond friends, you must first get to know each other well.

When my pure white cheeks turned a little red.

Ulan’s reply came back.

“It won’t be much fun.”

“Still, I want to listen.”

The stubbornness reflected in golden eyes.

I felt the will to listen somehow. There is nothing I can do when it comes to this. Ulan nodded her head as if she understood.

“I was born in a grassland tribe.”

Ulan’s past was uneventful.

Before coming to the academy, all I could do was wander the plains.

Is that why? Even his colleagues from his past yawned when Ulan talked about his past.

‘It was the same with Delia.’

So, maybe this time too, it won’t be long before you yawn. Ulan expected so.

However, Delia endured surprisingly well and even showed an unexpected reaction.

“You mean you can’t see the end of the grassland?”

“okay. “It took more than 15 days on horseback to finally reach the end.”

“Isn’t there a mountain in the middle?”

“Except for the snowy mountain to the east I mentioned earlier, there is none. “The rest is all plains or forests.”

As Ulan’s answer continues.

Delia’s eyes sparkled brightly.

Ulan asked back with a puzzled look on his face, seeing a reaction that was clearly different from his past life.

“Is that so amazing?”

“Yes, a lot.”

Delia then explained the reason.

The Principality of Arpen, where she was born and raised, was almost entirely mountainous. So, of course, I had never seen a wide grassland.

“I want to go later.”

“There are many grasslands on the continent. “Once you graduate from the academy, you’ll get tired of watching it at any time.”

Immediately after Ulan’s answer.

Delia shook her head.

“No, I’m not interested in other grasslands.”

“what?”

“What I’m curious about is Ulan’s hometown.”

The grassland where Ulan was born and raised.

That’s the only thing that interests me.

After answering, Delia wiggled her white fingers. This is her unique habit that she shows when she is nervous or nervous.

Then at that moment.

Delia looked back.

“… … So, will you take me with you?”

A somewhat flushed face.

Eyes shaking like a bonfire.

The oddly nervous expression was a bonus. Seeing her waiting for his answer, Ulan opened her mouth.

“It takes two months to get there.”

“But, it’s okay!”

“The road there is also quite rough.”

“doesn’t care.”

Delia answers firmly.

I felt a strong determination in this appearance.

A determined will to go anyhow. I never thought he would want to go to the meadow this much.

Ulan quickly took on a serious expression.

“i get it.”

With this level of determination, I have no choice but to admit it.

I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s probably because there’s a reason why I have to go.

So I nodded willingly.

“I will definitely take you with me someday.”

Immediately after Ulan’s reply came back.

Delia blushed. He then asked back with his round eyes sparkling.

“really? “Then, can you promise?”

“Of course. “I promise.”

An immediate answer without the slightest hesitation.

Delia smiled contentedly.

Shoot!

Afterwards, the two had a chat, not paying any heed to the torrential downpour.

From the childhood story I mentioned earlier to trivial small talk. Their conversation continued until the flames of the bonfire faded.

It feels like the more information we share, the more we slowly get to know each other. Delia smiled slightly as her heart felt warm for some reason.

The night gets deeper and deeper.

The first night ended like that.

And the next day.

The morning of the second day of the exam dawned.

It was the day when the ‘Abyss Worshipers’ were scheduled to attack, as predicted by Noah.

Chapter 19. Let the hunt begin

fantasy,