A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

The wilderness is extremely dangerous because it lacks any form of safety measures. It is not just dangerous, but also cruel and harsh to the extent that even the expression of “dangerous” falls short.

There are beasts that can emerge anytime and anywhere, insects lurking everywhere, and even plants that pose a life-threatening risk if touched. Fragile humans have no choice but to band together in order to survive in the wild. 

Through surviving in the wilderness, they acquired knowledge and wisdom, and based on that foundation, they eventually established a powerful barrier called “civilization.”

Within civilization, humans relatively become much safer. However, from that point on, conflicts arise among humans themselves rather than with the wilderness. 

They criticize each other as barbarians due to differences in culture and language, behaving rudely, and eventually resorting to fighting.

Despite such conflicts, civilization remains civilization. It is an evident fact that it is much safer than the wilderness. 

But is it due to their own poison, or is it because humans have abandoned their wild instincts and opted for dialogue?

-Ironically, there are too many individuals in civilization who are worse than beasts.

This is what one feels after surviving in the remote wilderness and returning to civilization. 

There are individuals who commit acts so severe that one would question whether they are capable of being committed by humans. The world is filled with individuals who perpetrate acts more heinous than demons, let alone beasts.

What should we call them, indeed? Human garbage? Waste? Or maybe bastards? 

“You. Can’t even compare to a scum.” 

To those who can’t even compare to a scum.

“I’ll beat them.”

A beating is just a remedy. 

I know because I’ve been hit. 

Normally, such actions would lead to social consequences, but I will be fine. 

Since I have no particular affiliation, background, or relationships, all the responsibility rests solely on me, since I was a “wild man” who lived in the wild and entered the fence of civilization. 

Lastly, one more thing. 

“Wanna eat this? It’s delicious.” 

“Yeah.” 

“In times like this, you should say thank you.” 

“Thank you.” 

The person who gives me something delicious like this is a kind person.

******

Whether it’s transmigration, reincarnation, or possession, they’re all common in themes in s these days. It all begins within civilization, regardless of whether it’s in the countryside or the city. Regardless of the method, a person is born from a mother’s womb, grows through interaction with others, and becomes a part of society.

Typically, reincarnation follows this path, while possession or transmigration experiences are different. Nevertheless, most of them start within civilization. The reason I’m saying this is because of the scenery right in front of my eyes.

‘What the hell?’

That phrase perfectly expresses my current state of mind. I have no idea what’s going on. It was an ordinary day, no different from any other. I worked my part-time job as usual, returned to my studio apartment as usual, contacted my parents as usual, played games as usual, and fell asleep.

But when I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a landscape filled with green.

“What the hell?”

What on earth is this?

I looked around while observing the scenery resembling a dense forest. Trees here, trees there, some covered in ivy, others with moss. No matter what, this isn’t right. I’d rather be dropped off in a city. Why am I stuck in this damn forest?

Thinking it might be a dream, I pinched my cheek, but all I felt was vivid pain. In other words, this is reality.

“What on earth is this?”

That’s not all.

The landscape filled with deep green and the abundance of trees are not the only things I see before my eyes.

There was a translucent hologram floating in front of my eyes, like a status window from a game.

[???] 

• Strength: 10 
• Agility: 10 
• Stamina: 10 
• Magic: 10 
• Luck: 10 
• Faith: 10 

[Acquired Traits] 

-Currently no acquired traits. 

[Acquired Skills] 

-Currently no acquired skills. 

[Acquired Abilities] 

-Currently no acquired abilities.

It was a really simplistic and bare-bones status window. I observed it for a while, just like something you would see in a game. But there was nothing there. It was undeniably a weak and meager set of stats. I had no idea what to do with it or what it meant. 

“······What about my clothes?”

I was so caught up in assessing the situation that I didn’t even pay attention to my own attire. The problem was that not knowing would have been better. I wasn’t completely naked, but I had only one piece of clothing barely covering the essential parts.

What kind of Tarzan fashion is this? Seriously, what am I supposed to do? At least take care of my clothes properly. Thankfully, it was a warm forest, but if it had been a cold area, I would have frozen to death long ago.

‘But was my skin always this pale?’ 

While surveying my body, I could roughly assess my own condition. Firstly, my skin was unnaturally white, like that of a Caucasian. I used to have a more typical Asian skin tone, but now it was as if someone had powdered it excessively. 

It felt somewhat unfamiliar, but that wasn’t the most important thing. I shifted my gaze from my skin and looked back towards the scanty clothing.

‘But… I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before.’

Before falling asleep, there was a game I played—one known for its high degree of freedom. Especially renowned for its limitless possibilities in character development. Depending on which stats you increased and which skills you honed, the methods of growth varied.

Moreover, the game had a feature called ‘Character Creation,’ where you would choose a specific profession first.

Let’s say you choose to be a knight. You can raise it according to the standard method, but you can also deviate from the path by increasing your faith stat and becoming a paladin. There are various ways to nurture your character, and beginners tend to choose knights with well-balanced stats. 

‘Some hardcore players choose to have nothing and develop their characters as they please…’

I didn’t expect that it would be me. I’ve tried raising all sorts of characters, getting carried away by different growth methods. Upon careful consideration, I remember creating a character before going to sleep. Could it be that character?

However, there is a bigger issue. In the game, you don’t just throw yourself into the wild like this. Even if you look like a beggar, the basic rule is to enter the academy first.

This is a route that doesn’t change regardless of the chosen profession.

Not for me, though.

“Damn.”

The more I think about it, the worse it gets. I moved forward, feeling the typical humidity of the forest against my bare skin.

Once I figure out where this place is, whether I leave here or not, I have to do something. I have to survive, regardless of the academy or anything else. If I happen to encounter a beast, it could be a big problem.

Grrrr-

“…”

Damn it. It seems like a big problem has already occurred.

Before taking a few more steps, a fierce sound struck my ears.

I slowly turned my head. It made a creaking sound as if my neck hadn’t been oiled.

Creak-

“…A squirrel?”

Why would there be a squirrel? Despite the aggressive sound, it looked just like an ordinary squirrel.

Moreover, it was somewhat cute. It felt like a kitten gnawing on something.

However, that thought didn’t last long. If this place was like the game I knew, and if it was a forest accessible only to high-level players, I would have run away as soon as I saw the squirrel.

Kyaaah!

The squirrel let out an unexpected roar and charged at me.

Kwaaang!

The squirrel’s body slammed into my neck. More precisely, it hit my shoulder.

The tiny squirrel’s striked hit my neck with considerable force.

“Ggu-eok?!”

With a thunderous sound like an explosion, my body was thrown backward as if hit by a truck.

It flew far away, rolling several times before finally coming to a stop.

The only consolation was that it was a forest with many trees. The secondary impact was absorbed by the trees.

The pain that engulfed my entire body was excruciating, but my vision gradually turned pitch black.

‘That’s definitely······’

Just before losing consciousness, I chuckled at the squirrel slowly approaching from this direction. It was only after receiving an unexpected blow that I realized the true identity of that squirrel, along with where I was. 

As I delved deeper, the difficulty level increased exponentially, with nothing but challenging monsters in the beginning.

‘Damn it······’

Isn’t this just too much? Why of all places, here near the main stage of the Academy? While grumbling inwardly, my consciousness faded away. I fervently hoped that when I opened my eyes again, it would be my own apartment.

“Ugh…” 

But that didn’t happen. Despite taking a direct hit to the back of my neck, I somehow managed to open my eyes. Instantaneously, pain spread throughout my entire body. And there was one more frustrating thing here. 

“What the hell… Seriously…”

That damn squirrel had defecated on my face. It was a sign of conquest. From the perspective of me and the other players, it was nothing more than teabagging. That squirrel had become famous for that reason. 

If there was any silver lining in my misfortune, it was that the monster who had defeated me was that squirrel. The bastard gave me another chance, as long as I survived. 

Thankfully, I had only lost consciousness and managed to survive. If it had been a wolf or some other savage beast, I wouldn’t be of this world. I guess that would have been better. 

[You survived a fatal blow! Your health has increased!]

“Damn it. Thank you so damn much.” 

I chuckled at the message displayed before me. 

“Ah…” 

It hurt so much that I couldn’t even laugh.