The Almighty Chuunibyou Expert

Based on his understanding, there were only a few villages around, and the forestry bureau's logging site was nearby.

"It's that way, should be there in a few minutes."

He looked at a public notice board on the platform beside him. There was a map on it, guiding him in the direction he needed to go next.

He could probably get there by following the road to his right.

The end of this road led directly to the forestry bureau's outpost here. Compared to the primal feel of the mountains, this place was filled with modern buildings.

It seemed this place was only for training loggers. They would only be assigned to various villages after their internship period.

"Hey, where are you from? Don't tell me you're a lost student?"

The person at the gate noticed him arriving on his bike and immediately rushed out of the booth, scrutinizing him.

"I'm here to buy wood,"

Hasegawa Izumi replied as he got off his bike.

"Is that so?"

The gatekeeper observed the young man's age, not finding him particularly reliable.

"Could you please notify Mr. Linye and tell him Hasegawa is looking for him?"

He was unfazed by the attitude and continued.

"You know Mr. Linye?"

The gatekeeper looked suspicious, but seeing the young man's earnest demeanor, he turned and communicated via walkie-talkie.

"Ah? He's here already? Make sure they treat him well, don't be negligent! I'll be right there."

Mr. Linye's voice came through the walkie-talkie, sounding very serious.

One had to know that Mr. Linye was the overall person in charge of this area. His attitude towards this young man indicated the latter's status!

"Alright, I've informed Mr. Linye. He'll be here shortly. Please wait in the conference room for a moment."

The gatekeeper's attitude immediately changed. He bowed and invited him in.

Hasegawa Izumi rode his bicycle inside to park it and entered the conference room to wait.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

Someone had prepared afternoon tea for him. After sipping it for a while, a knock sounded at the door.

A person pushed the door open. He was in his thirties or forties, with neat short hair and wearing clean, tidy clothes, clearly having changed specifically to show respect.

He wasn't surprised to receive such treatment, as he had subtly used the connections of the Sawamura family, also known as the Spencer family. They likely treated him as a young master from a prominent family.

"Hasegawa-kun, thank you for waiting,"

Mr. Linye apologized as soon as he entered the room.

"Don't worry about it. I'm here to buy a piece of raw material that satisfies me, and I'm in a bit of a hurry."

He said, standing up as he spoke.

"Then... alright, let's go now."

Mr. Linye was slightly surprised by his manner of speaking but quickly recovered.

They arrived at the oak forest after about a half-hour car ride.

"Would you like us to select it for you?"

Mr. Linye asked.

"No need, I can do it myself."

Hasegawa Izumi shook his head and refused. He immediately got out of the car and headed into the forest.

This action startled them greatly.

In a place like this, a moment's carelessness could lead to bumps and bruises!

"You can wait for me in the car. I'll call you when I find it,"

His voice, echoing back quickly, stopped them from following.

"Is he really okay? Mr. Linye, shouldn't we go with him?"

"He said we don't need to, so we don't. If he gets upset, we might be the ones in trouble."

"But I heard that recently, people have seen bears appearing in this area. It's very dangerous."

"How could we be so unlucky as to run into a bear? Besides, it's been ages since we heard about something like that here. They must have seen wrong."

While Mr. Linye was talking with the two loggers accompanying him, Hasegawa Izumi had already ventured a considerable distance into the dense forest.

Almost all the trees and scenery looked the same. It would be difficult for an ordinary person to navigate without getting lost, but his memory was quite good, so he didn't have to worry about that.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. It wasn't because he had found an oak tree that pleased him, but because he spotted a remarkably straight branch, about the thickness of a thumb.

There was a strange, inexplicable attraction.

This urge to pick up a branch like a club felt like an impulse etched into his DNA, the so-called hunting instinct.

"Hoo."

He stepped forward, picked it up, and swung it around. It felt good in his hand, so he took it with him.

Another five minutes passed.

His gaze finally landed on a piece of raw material he wanted.

"Rustle... rustle..."

Stepping on fallen leaves, Hasegawa Izumi ran his hand over the grain of an oak tree, as if sensing something.

Suddenly.

He felt a gaze fall upon him.

If this were a street or a school, it wouldn't have made him wary.

But in this dark, dense forest, it couldn't help but catch his attention.

"Snap... snap..."

Abruptly, in the silent forest, there was the sound of hurried, forceful footsteps, as if someone was stepping on branches.

Completely unlike a human.

Hasegawa Izumi's gaze shifted left, and he immediately spotted a black figure charging down from a small slope a few hundred meters away.

"Seems like... a bear?"

"No, I need to verify it up close. Maybe it's a suit?"

After all, there were rumors online.

Not long after, as he waited in place, the black bear approached to within ten meters of him.

"ROAR!!"

The black bear suddenly stopped, letting out a thunderous roar and standing up. Only then did its massive size become apparent, like an iron tower, exuding an unshakeable sense of power.

"Are you warning me to leave? Have you claimed this as your new territory?"

Hasegawa Izumi seemed to understand the meaning of its roar and attempted to communicate with it.

"Roar!"

This time, the black bear's cry was softer. Its large, dark eyes flickered with alertness, giving it a surprisingly intelligent appearance.

"Looks like it's not a suit monster, it's real. But its IQ seems above average. Is it becoming intelligent?"

To the black bear's bewilderment, the human before it had the leisure to critique it, showing no signs of fear or desire to flee.

Was its title as the king of the forest so lacking in deterrence?

The black bear didn't have strong thinking abilities. It only felt the disdain in the human's eyes, and its pride and anger were immediately ignited.

"ROAR!!"

The black bear roared, its four limbs digging into the ground, charging like a tank. Its sharp claws were like blades about to be unsheathed, ready to launch a powerful attack at any moment.

Tou-ei's black bears were considered relatively small among black bear subspecies, but this one's size already surpassed its usual classification. It likely weighed close to three hundred kilograms. Among terrestrial creatures, such a threat level was rare!

Unfortunately for the bear, it had encountered someone who was no ordinary person.

"After all, you're still within the protected area. I should show a little restraint."

Facing the lunging black bear, Hasegawa Izumi stood his ground, holding the club-like branch in one hand. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, his expression calm, showing no surprise or fear.

46 You really like to joke around.

Black bears and tigers have different fighting styles. Tigers can pounce, swat, and go for the throat, while black bears' main attacks are swiping and biting, which are more singular and slower.

Therefore, he commented, "Other than its stats being a little higher than an ordinary person's, there's nothing impressive about it. Such crude fighting techniques..."

Just as the black bear reared up on its hind legs, baring its teeth and claws, ready to pounce on him.

Instead of retreating, he advanced. He seemed to vanish from the black bear's field of vision in an instant. The black bear immediately felt as if its right leg had been tripped by a stone. It lost its balance and fell face-first into the dirt.

"Thump."

The sound of several hundred pounds falling to the ground was not small.

Hasegawa Izumi slowly turned around.

He had just delivered a sweeping kick to the black bear's hind legs.

However, the black bear seemed confused about what had happened. It shook its large head and quickly got back up, still glaring ferociously at him.

"You don't actually think you tripped on your own, do you, idiot."

His tone was laced with mockery.

"ROAR!!"

The black bear charged again.

With a 'bang,' he fell face-first into the mud again.

This time, Hasegawa Izumi kicked the other hind leg.

When the black bear stood up again, its posture was a little unsteady, and a hint of apprehension flickered in its eyes.

"Want to try again?"

He asked, holding his stick in his right hand and gently tapping his left.

The black bear seemed to still be hesitating, making no move.

In nature, it's survival of the fittest, the strong prey on the weak; ultimately, persuasion must come through more violent means.

Realizing this, he charged forward directly this time.

The black bear instinctively tried to pin him down with its claws, a powerful blow that even made the wind sound heavy.

However, the stick in Hasegawa Izumi's hand arrived first, accurately striking the back of the black bear's front paw, causing it to falter.

"Thwack!"

Before it could react, its head received another heavy blow.

This strike landed on its forehead with significant force.

"Roar!"

The black bear instantly let out a pained howl, stars flashing before its eyes, and rolled on the ground clutching its head with its paws.

"Do you understand the gap between us now?"

Hasegawa Izumi twirled his stick in a flashy move, and without caring if it understood, he spoke proudly.

"Roar..."

After catching its breath, the black bear finally realized that the creature before it was a more powerful being than itself. It flipped over and prostrated itself on the ground, its vocalizations turning into a pleading whimper.