I Got a Fake Job at the Academy

Chapter 821 - Side Story 94: Chimera (2)

Rudger looked at the monster destroying the entrance of the ruins. As soon as Lexer mentioned a giant monster, he realized it was Hans.

'I expected something had gone wrong.'

Looking at Hans's condition, it seemed that the worst-case scenario he'd feared had indeed occurred.

"I did give them to you to use in emergencies, but I never thought you'd use them all at once."

Of course, given Hans's personality, he wouldn't have deliberately used them all. Most likely, he was waiting outside when the Order's holy knights came after him and an accident happened in the process.

"Rationality is."

-Grrrrrrr.

"Nonexistent, it seems."

Rudger let out a sigh as if troubled. Well, this couldn't really be called Hans's fault. After all, this situation had arisen because of those Order bastards in the first place.

If he had known it would turn out like this, he wouldn't have given all the byproducts obtained from the spirit beasts to Hans from the start.

'Hans knows how to control the Beast of Gevaudan and he can sufficiently control up to two spirit beast powers dwelling in his own body.'

Of course, that wasn't perfect. Occasionally, when the fight became intense and his mental strength was depleted, the suppressed wildness would erode his rationality.

Hans knew this too, so he deliberately didn't push himself to dangerous levels. He maintained a safe line where control was still possible, you could say.

'Even so, for Hans to lose his rationality to this extent. As expected, a spirit beast is still a spirit beast, I suppose.'

The things Rudger had received as gifts from the spirit beasts all contained the spirit beasts' essence.

Spirit beasts are a kind of superior species that evolved when magic-infused beasts adapted accordingly. Just because you use the fangs of a serpent spirit beast doesn't mean you only gain snake characteristics. You can also use the special powers that came with becoming a spirit beast.

Such power looks formidable, but is actually tricky to use. Though he hadn't experienced it directly.

'Just from indirectly observing what Hans does from the side is enough to know.'

The manifestation of the instincts that beasts possess. Wildness devouring rationality.

'An angry human finds it hard to contain their anger and becomes incapable of rational thought.'

According to Hans's explanation, becoming a beast is like being in a constant state of rising anger. No matter how much you meditate or try to calm your mind, it's difficult to suppress the emotional turmoil that wells up inside.

'If a person could manage every rising emotion as it came, they'd be called a Buddha.'

Hans had gone through this process so many times that he'd become skilled at it and could now handle it. It was the result of acquired, repeated practice rather than innate talent.

Following Rudger around and getting caught up in all sorts of incidents, experiencing all manner of trials and tribulations, his mental growth also had some influence.

But no matter how trained he was, it seemed he couldn't handle over a dozen essences entering simultaneously.

'He's become a form where all sorts of things are mixed together.'

In terms of purely external danger, the Beast of Gevaudan was still superior. However, in terms of handling ability and contained power, it might be even stronger than when it reigned as the nightmare of the Bretus Holy Kingdom that day.

In the holy war, Hans created Cryptids as if endlessly vomiting shadows. That could be regarded as a strategic weapon in large-scale battles.

'On the other hand, now he looks stronger in one-on-one combat rather than large-scale battles.'

Well, with such a purely high weight class, it was laughable to say he was specialized in either direction.

Rudger's form disappeared as if hidden by shadows.

Hans's eyes moved here and there as if trying to find Rudger. The six eyes could observe different directions simultaneously.

Hans turned his body because Rudger had passed by him and appeared outside the ruins.

"Looking at your current state, you won't understand words. It seems a drastic measure is necessary."

Though he said drastic measure, it wasn't anything grand: just subduing with force.

The way to suppress rampaging wildness is only with overwhelming violence enough to put it to sleep. Some might criticize that method as barbaric, but.

'It's ridiculous to lecture a beast that can't speak.'

Rudger drew his staff and aimed it at Hans.

"Come at me. Let's see what you're like in that state. I'll yield the first strike to you."

-Grrrrung!

At the clearly provocative tone, Hans bared his teeth. With various beasts mixed in appearance and human teeth mixed in, the sense of disharmony was no joke. That made it feel even more frightening because it didn't look like a pure beast, but something else.

-Kuung.

Hans's long two arms struck the ground. It was an act to threaten the opponent. Just from that alone, the earth cracked open and dust clouds rose. It was at a level where you could say a localized earthquake had occurred.

Yet even in that violent tremor, Rudger was calmly looking at Hans. His two legs were still attached to the ground, and his posture didn't even budge.

As if time had been frozen only around Rudger, there was no change.

Not shaken. Not hasty. Rudger had already said it. He would yield the first strike.

So there was no way he would be scared and attack first. Because that's what he had said. That was both a declaration and an unchanging truth.

-Krung!

Hans, meeting Rudger's gaze, shrank his body.

-Dududududu.

The legs firmly fixed to the ground began to tremble one by one. The trembling spread to his entire body in an instant.

"What are you doing?"

When Rudger's voice touched his skin, Hans flinched and trembled. An absurdly bizarre scene unfolded where a giant monster was overwhelmed by just one human and could do neither this nor that.

"Where did your initial fighting spirit go? Are you just going to stay still like that?"

At the continued provocation, Hans tried to flare up again. But the moment he met Rudger's eyes, he had no choice but to lower his gaze downward.

The current Hans only moved by the instincts that beasts possess. A beast's instinct is destructive. It's programmed to kill enemies for survival.

But right now, that instinct wasn't functioning properly.

No, rather it was the opposite. It was closer to the instinct functioning properly to an excessive degree.

The instinct whispered. That human before his eyes looks human but is a monster he absolutely cannot handle. All the spirit beast essences dwelling in his body were shouting that.

The fear of the spirit beasts who had to shamefully surrender parts of their bodies had been imprinted deep into their genes.

"If you keep staying like that, there'll be no end. Or should I come to you?"

The moment Rudger said that and took his stance. Hans felt a tremendous shudder flow through him like lightning from head to toe.

At the same time, as if the fog that had been frustratingly blocking his vision cleared. His rationality awakened like a lightning strike with an intense flash.

[Me, it's me! Brother! Hans!]

Hans lowered his head flat and prostrated himself before Rudger. As the giant monster over 30m tall prostrated like an obedient dog, the ruins shook again.

The ground caved in due to Hans's weight. But Hans, as if he didn't care, vigorously appealed to Rudger that he absolutely had no intention to fight.

[It's me! I'm back to normal! So please put away that frightening thing!] 

"What, Hans. Have you come to your senses?"

Rudger lowered the staff he had been aiming at Hans.

"How did you end up like that?" 

[......While running away, the holy knights suddenly attacked, so the things I had tucked inside my clothes got stabbed into my chest.] 

"You had terrible luck. Both you and those holy knights." 

[......That's right.]

The holy knights' fate wouldn't have changed anyway. Even if they hadn't met Hans, the moment they entered the ruins, they would have died at Rudger's hands.

"But you're regaining your senses faster than expected. I thought you'd only come to your senses after I beat you up a few times." 

[I, I don't really know either. My head was dark the whole time, but suddenly my vision cleared right up, you know? I came to my senses and brother was pointing his staff at me, so you know how surprised I was? My heart nearly dropped out.]

From Hans's perspective, it was no different from a horror movie. He remembered losing consciousness and being consumed by wildness.

He had fallen into such a deep sleep not knowing when he'd wake up, but to suddenly awaken like that. And what he saw the moment he woke up was Rudger pointing his staff at him.

Hans knew Rudger's capabilities better than anyone. Where would you find a person who'd be fine seeing someone like a walking strategic weapon trying to attack them?

Hans quickly worked his brain to grasp what situation he was in at once, and immediately bowed his head. It was only possible with quick wits and the decisiveness to swiftly translate into action.

[It seems all the beast essences dwelling in my body got scared of brother and bowed their heads.] 

"Hmm. Is that so?" 

[After all, brother beat up quite a few spirit beasts on the way here, didn't you? In the first place, the owners of all the essences dwelling in my body got beaten up by brother at least once.]

Hans paused mid-speech and fell into thought for a moment. Seeing what Rudger did to the spirit beasts, was it really right to express it as getting beaten up once?

A thug on the street grabbing a preschool child by the collar and stealing candy would look far gentler.

[Because of that, the moment they faced brother, all those instincts tucked their tails. Thanks to that, my rationality could awaken again.] 

"I see. It's a bit ambiguous, but a sufficiently convincing story." 

[It's not just convincing, this is probably the truth. How should I put it, I can feel it.]

It was all thanks to Rudger. But at the same time, he also thought it was absurd. No matter what, he had become a super-large chimera monster formed by gathering spirit beast essences, yet to tuck his tail without even fighting - did that make any sense?

"Is that so? That's a bit disappointing." 

[What? I think I misheard?] 

"Since you're a collection of spirit beasts, I was looking forward to a somewhat different kind of fight."

Hans felt goosebumps rise all over his body. Just from hearing one word about disappointment, it felt like his lifespan had been shortened by 10 years.

[Yo, you're joking, right? Brother.] 

"Until you came to your senses, it wasn't a joke." 

[Ha, hahahaha.]

Hans realized that the beast instinct wasn't sharp for no reason. They knew too. What would happen to them the moment they fought Rudger. At this point, the spirit beasts' wildness seemed clever.

'Good grief.'

Hans felt the new beast essences dwelling within him quietly cowering in a corner.

If you called the mind a house, the guys who had been barging in and causing trouble until then had suddenly become docile, you could say.

Rather, they were terrified not knowing when Rudger might enter.

Rampaging to their heart's content when fighting weak enemies, but running away the moment they met the real deal. Should he call this cunning or clever?

"So you're really okay now?" 

[I, I'm really okay so don't look at me with expectant eyes! I'm really scared!]

To be fair, just based on outward appearance, Hans was much more frightening and violent. It was just funny because he was prostrating flat begging to be spared.

Rudger chuckled and put his staff back into the shadows.

"Seeing you react so intensely, it seems the beast essences have completely bowed their heads." 

[......That's right. It's absurd that a collection formed by gathering regional apex predators would react like this, but.] 

"Rather, it's strong. A mediocre creature would be intoxicated by its own strength and not recognize a predator, attacking recklessly. But this one instantly grasped that the opponent was stronger than itself and immediately tucked its tail. It adapted to the situation." 

[That's being strong?] 

"Not bending and breaking might look cool. But that's far from strength. If anything, it's recklessness. True strength starts from acknowledging that you're weak." 

[I don't really understand such philosophical talk.] 

"I didn't say it expecting you to understand."

Rudger took out a green ampule from the shadows.

"I never thought I'd use this again. Take it, Hans."

When Rudger threw the ampule, Hans quickly caught it using his tail. It was a long and massive tail, but it moved smoothly and precisely enough to catch the small ampule.

Hans injected the healing medicine into his body. His body bubbled and boiled, then gradually returned to its original form.

"Ugh. I'm dizzy."

Perhaps due to the aftereffects of transformation, Hans staggered for a moment clutching his head even after returning to human form.

Rudger pulled out clothes from the shadows and threw them to Hans to change into.

"I've finished changing. But what happened with things inside? Did you find the Relic?" 

"I found it. But I decided to leave it alone. It was ambiguous to touch." 

"Ah, I see."

When Rudger spoke while looking at the forest, Hans nodded as if he understood.

"But brother. Did you see this?"

Hans picked up the materials that the dark mage had collected from the ruins from his corpse and handed them to Rudger.

"What this ruin was built for."