Noctar and Shagarod engaged in a relentless onslaught of attacks during the five minutes of their match.
Defense was non-existent.
For every blow one received, they were intent on returning two.
The thudding impact of axe and club and their ragged breaths echoed across the expansive arena, filling it with their ferocity.
Even the spectators beyond the orcs and lizardmen roared with excitement for the spirited contest.
─Crazy. They keep on going even as they take hits.
─Damn... This is a real martial arts competition!
─This is nothing like those magic competitions with all their debuff spells and fancy effects!
When the referee called the match to a close, the two men were visibly drained but stood resolute.
Broken in places and bloodied, they each raised an arm in triumph, certain of their victory.
The result was a draw.
In a detailed analysis, Noctar held a slight advantage.
However, since their duel was a special event match, it was not subject to the rigid criteria of official contests.
It was a draw, but in essence, both were victors, having powerfully asserted their presence as representatives of their tribal cartels.
─I had high hopes, but this was beyond expectations... I was utterly captivated. A big round of applause for Noctar and Shagarod for such an exceptional match!
On the announcer's cue, the crowd burst into applause.
Stirred by the battle's fervor, orcs and lizardmen with flushed faces rose from their seats.
"Damn it! Noctar won that! Just one more minute and he would've definitely taken the lizardman boss's head off!"
"Stop talking nonsense, you green pigs! Shagarod has many spells at his disposal! Were it not a martial arts competition, it would be your boss's head rolling!"
The two races glared at each other, full of killing intent, poised to clash at any moment.
The audience watched on with terror-stricken eyes.
Then, from the arena, Noctar and Shagarod declared:
"Brothers, that's enough for today! This is the sacred ground of the martial arts competition. There will be plenty of chances to settle scores with these feeble lizards!"
"It seems hanging out with Theo has given this green pig a bit of wisdom! As much as it irks me, I agree, my brothers! Let's refrain from ignorant actions like those of the green swine!"
Their powerful words immediately diffused the hostility, and orcs and lizardmen alike settled back into their seats.
While they still exchanged glares, the intense animosity from before had dissipated.
In the presence of their leaders' will, personal sentiments were set aside, even those long-held.
This was a shared trait of both orcs and lizardmen.
Following the commotion between the orcs and lizardmen, Theo took a seat in the stands to watch the main matches.
Irene, Julia, and other notable characters had predictably won, advancing to the round of 32.
Only four matches remained in the round of 64, Theo's included.
'I'll watch this match and then head to the waiting room.'
The current match featured Jacob, a well-known character from the Knight Department.
It was expected that Jacob would win, hands down.
...But an upset unfolded.
Jacob was defeated in less than two minutes.
His opponent was a female student archer who deliberately stepped into his attack range and then struck with a counter to claim victory.
In clashes between archers and knights, knights are overwhelmingly favored, especially in an martial arts arena where each combatant's position is in the open.
And yet, the archer triumphed.
Moreover, Jacob's average thrusting speed was renowned as the fastest in the Knight Department.
What was considered a power thrust by other top-ranking students was normal for him.
─That was truly impressive! The winner of this match is Alice from the Exploration Department! Let’s... give her a round of applause!
The announcer's voice betrayed his surprise.
Jacob seemed humiliated by his defeat to an archer, his face blank with shock for a long while.
After regaining his senses, Jacob offered Alice a handshake.
The blonde girl, whose hair cascaded down to her shoulder blades, lit up the arena with her bright blue eyes as she firmly clasped his hand.
Aisha, also an archer, appeared astonished and spoke to Theo.
"Wow... the world really is full of surprises. Where did she come from...? She's quite remarkable, isn't she? Not just skilled with a bow, but also daring enough to enter a knight's range deliberately."
"It seems so. And to think she dared to do so against a knight known for his speed suggests she had already sized him up well."
Theo gazed at Alice on the field with a contemplative expression.
'...I've come to terms with the fact that this world has diverged significantly from the game.'
The appearance of an unexpected strong contender was indeed surprising.
Of course, Alice also existed in the game, but she was a normal character who faded away quietly.
This was a different situation from Irene and Siena, who had grown stronger much faster than in the game.
Ah, my head hurts.
As if an unpredictable future wasn’t enough, now there's an unexpected variable.
But what can I do?
Just something to be aware of.
With these thoughts, Theo moved towards the contenders' waiting room.
In the final match of the round of 64, I faced Cyrus in the arena.
Cyrus, a formidable contender ranked 12th in the Knight Department, is often likened to a third-rate villain similar to Theo in the game.
I remembered our duel during the 2v2 tournament of the Knight Department.
I had a soft spot for him due to a sense of kinship, but that brat kept provoking me with his immature taunts until I finally struck him down while making fun of his shoddy hairstyle.
"This time will be different, Theo! I've shaved my head and devoted myself entirely to training!"
Cyrus's voice trembled, indicating the past ordeal still haunted him.
Now, instead of his long, spiky hair, he sported baldness.
His stance looked much better, and his stats had risen.
It seems his diligent training was fruitful.
It's hard to hold a grudge against someone who works that hard.
I nodded in recognition.
"You've worked hard. It's blinding."
"...What?"
"I said it's blinding."
"What's blinding...?"
"Well..."
"Damn it! Someone as handsome as you wouldn't understand, but a man's hair is his pride! I've been holed up in the dorm training all festival because of you!"
"You've worked hard."
"Yo-you... damn it!"
I watched Cyrus tremble and growl with rage, my gaze remaining calm.
─Contestants, please begin!
The announcer declared the start of the match.
Cyrus charged at me immediately.
Whoosh!
Whoosh-whoosh!
Whoosh!
He executed a triple thrust aimed at my chest and stomach.
I dodged the attack by a hair's breadth.
Cyrus continued his assault.
"Try dodging this, Theo! This is a technique I've learned from Neike!"
Cyrus's spear technique became more varied—a double high thrust followed by a low slash.
"Hmm."
I dodged the high thrusts by spinning to the side and lightly leaped over the low slash.
Though his attempt was clumsy, it was unmistakably Neike's technique, which I had thoroughly observed and recognized at first glance.
Hmm, but that's not quite how it should be done.
I adjusted my grip on the longsword to mimic a spear—the fundamental stance of Neike's spearmanship.
Cyrus's eyes bulged in surprise.
"What, what is this? Don't tell me you─"
Before he could finish his sentence, I rushed towards Cyrus.
A double high thrust followed by a low slash.
It was the exact technique he had used against me.
"Uh, ugh!"
Cyrus barely managed to evade, letting out a muffled grunt.
Hmm. Perhaps it was because I didn't apply the breathing technique that the force was weaker, slowing down the speed.
But to what extent had Cyrus learned Neike's technique?
Suddenly, I was struck by a bout of curiosity.
With an indifferent look, I stared at Cyrus and raised my left hand to shoulder height.
And then, with a flick of my fingers, I beckoned him forward.
"You, you, you...!"
Cyrus, his face crimson with fury, started to wildly swing his spear.
I dodged, observing his technique.
Sssshhhhhhk!
Hmm, that's Neike's basic thrust he frequently uses.
But Cyrus hasn't fully absorbed it yet.
He's only scratched the surface.
Like magic, understanding 'why' you use a technique in a given situation is the foundation of swordsmanship and spearmanship.
Whooosh──!
Ah, this is Neike's low sweep, a move often favored by the game's players for its cool appearance.
Cyrus has mastered this technique quite well.
It figures, Cyrus is all about style over substance.
How long had I been evading?
"Huooorgh...! Huff, huff!"
Cyrus stood before me, his face red all the way to his scalp, gasping for breath.
Hmm, looks like he's the type with a delicate scalp.
─Only 10 seconds left in the match!
Amidst it all, the announcer's voice echoed.
I wanted to see more, what a shame.
"You did well, Cyrus."
Sssshhhhhk!
I executed Neike's basic thrust, this time incorporating the breathing technique.
