The first match of the round of 16 was a showdown between Theo & Irene's team and Noctar & Gulrik's team.
The atmosphere in the arena was not just heated—it was boiling.
"Noctar! Noctar! Noctar!"
"Noctar! The great son of the Ashen Desert Tribe Chief!"
"Descendant of the War God! Lead the orcs to greatness once again!"
The orc's roars dominated the arena.
What set this match apart was that, until now, they had jeered and practically cursed at Noctar's opponents.
This time, however, there was none of that.
Reporters and representatives from various guilds and government officials looked on, comparing the scene to some sort of fanatical religious gathering.
"Wow, it's really intense. Noctar has won over all the freshman orcs."
"Not just the freshmen. He's already secured the unwavering support of the older orc students. Did you know that the current orc leader at the academy is planning to step down early for him? Unlike in the past, where candidates fiercely competed for the position, now there's no competition at all."
"Ah, he's the orc who faced off against the 9th-ranked Andrew in the Hero Department's practical evaluation."
"That's right. The memory of him slamming his own head is still fresh in my mind. Ever since then, there's been serious discussion within our guild about using orcs as Aides."
"If we recruit Noctar to our guild, wouldn't it make recruiting other orcs significantly easier?"
"Possibly. But even if he has the skills, there are clear limitations to what an orc can achieve. Making him the team leader might be a stretch. We don't even know if he'll graduate from the Hero Department. Of course, he's suitable enough to be an Aide."
"It's frightening, such pure fervor and passion. It's like a miniature version of the great revolution that took place in the empire."
"Indeed... It's a good thing orcs aren't particularly bright. If they had a few outstanding commanders, they could've turned a few kingdoms upside down."
"Do you think the descendant of the Waldeurk family stands a chance against Noctar?"
"I don't think so. Strategies and surprises might work against human mages and knights, but orcs? They're not a race to fall for simple tricks. They'll fight to the bitter end. Noctar hasn't even shown his full strength in previous matches, has he? Also, both Theo and Irene can't use magic, right? Without that, it'll be tough for them to win in hand-to-hand combat with an orc."
"Right."
The majority of the spectators shared similar opinions.
Most predicted a victory for Noctar's team.
However, Hailey, the Chief Administrator of the Ataraxia Guild, held a different opinion.
"Is it a wyvern? or is it a dragon yet to spread its wings? We'll see it here."
Apart from the elves of the Great Forest, who have lived for hundreds of years, very few races can surpass orcs in close combat, except for a select few elite warriors.
During the round of 32 against Seria's team, Theo escaped from Seria's [Bind] magic in an instant.
The magic definitely hit its mark.
Hailey was well aware of the potency of Seria's [Bind] magic; it was powerful enough to warrant special attention.
"Could it be magic resistance?"
It's an exceptionally rare ability.
An innate capacity to resist harmful magic.
It's not unusual for the Waldeurk family, a renowned lineage that has produced great heroes for generations, to possess such abilities.
"Or maybe it's [Magic Nullification]."
But the odds are slim.
Even among the active heroes, there are none known to have that trait.
Hailey sneakily glanced at the sharp-looking man who had a hood overtop his head.
Although his face wasn't visible, she had this gut feeling that he, like her, had hopes for Theo.
'He's an intriguing man. I should approach him during the break.'
While Hailey was making this mental note, Mari announced,
[...We are now going to start the match! The eagerly awaited first match of the round of 16, the match between Theo & Irene's team and Noctar & Gulrik's team!]
Immediately, a thunderous roar erupted from the orc spectators.
"Woooooahhh!"
"Go Noctar! Crush them! Tear them apart! Smash them to pieces!”
"Noctar! Noctar! Noctar!"
Now accustomed to the cheers of the orcs, other students chimed in with their own opinions.
"Do you think Theo... can win? This one's going to be tough, right? Those orcs have been crushing their opponents since the round of 128."
"I hope he wins, but it's going to be hard."
As the audience continued to discuss and predict the outcome, the first match of the round of 16 began.
Initially, I was assigned to Noctar, and Irene took on Gulrik.
Our team's strategy was straightforward.
Facing Noctar didn't mean I believed I could defeat him; it was merely to buy time.
Once Irene took down Gulrik, the core of our strategy was for us to join forces against Noctar.
Noctar might be ranked 71st in the Hero Department, but that rank takes into account theoretical evaluations as well.
In terms of close combat, other than Neike and Piel, there's hardly anyone in the Hero Department who could match him.
We also are only allowed to use training weapons.
With Noctar possessing the [Hard Skin] trait, it would be extremely challenging to inflict any critical damage with these blunt blades.
With these thoughts in mind, I shouted as the two towering orcs charged towards us,
"Irene, follow the plan!"
"Got it!"
Irene rushed straight at Gulrik.
In that brief moment, I selected an appropriate debuff magic from the [Magic Cartridge].
'[Confusion] should do the trick.'
Most spells require a casting time, but not for me.
Instead of manipulating the mana inside me to cast spells, I invoke spells pre-loaded in [Magic Cartridge].
To an observer unaware of this, my casting speed might seem even faster than that of the genius mages Andrew and Seria, both of whom possess the [Mana Ruler] trait.
Immediately, I used the [Confusion] spell on Gulrik—
"Ah, Father! I apologize for being such a disappointment!"
Gulrik stopped his charge, yelling in distress.
Next, I aimed the same spell, once again filled with ample mana, at Noctar.
But—
"Ha-ha, Theo! I knew you'd try something like this! You never cease to amaze me!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Noctar struck himself the side of his head, forcefully activating his three traits.
A method I had shared for his previous confrontation with Andrew.
Although orcs handle pain better than humans, they naturally still fear it.
But Noctar didn't hesitate and immediately acted.
"ROOOAAAAR!"
The traits of Battle Instinct, Blood Rage, and Blessing of the War God surged within the roaring Noctar.
Perhaps influenced by Noctar, Gulrik soon followed suit, striking himself as well.
'It's a battle against time now.'
Since I had poured so much mana into the [Confusion] spell, the [Magic Cartridge]'s mana was quickly depleted.
Keeping my eyes on Noctar, who was now rapidly closing in on me with terrifying speed, I called out to Irene,
"Irene, don't confront him directly! Evade until I give you the signal!"
"Understood!"
An orc buffed with three traits is frighteningly powerful.
Not only does it enhance physical strength, but it also greatly diminishes fear.
Players refer to this state as 'Berserker Mode.'
Unlike Noctar, Gulrik doesn't possess the [Blessing of the War God] trait, so he can only use two types of buffs.
But even that makes him formidable.
But as much as there are advantages, there are clear downsides.
Its duration is short.
After 'Berserker Mode' ends, orcs become rapidly exhausted and need a lengthy rest.
It feels similar to when I use [Overload] to its fullest.
Yet, unfazed by this limitation, Noctar roared with wild laughter, grinding his teeth fiercely.
"Hahaha! Theo! This is the sacred battle of a warrior! Don't get distracted! I won't go easy on you!"
With that declaration, Noctar swung his battle-axe.
Whoooom─!
With such force, it felt like the air itself was being torn apart.
Even if it's a training weapon, a single hit from that would spell the end.
The edge of the axe just grazed my skin.
Almost instantly, blood spurted from the slight wound.
'It's hard to even dodge.'
Noctar was far stronger than I'd imagined, entirely different from when he dueled with Andrew.
At this rate, I might lose before Irene even joins the fight.
...I have no choice but to go all out.
I immediately activated [Overload].
Simultaneously, a semi-transparent window appeared before my eyes.
[The effect of your ability can be amplified. Do you wish to amplify?]
"Yes."
Without delay, [Overload] was amplified.
"Hah."
I took a short but deep breath.
I could clearly hear my heart pounding as if it was screaming in my ears, and every muscle in my body screamed in response.
At the same time, an overwhelming sense of strength surged through me.
"You won't go easy? That's what I wanted I say, Noctar."
With a sly smile, I lunged straight at Noctar's body.
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