Chapter 190: All Mine (2)

Noctar and Shagarod engaged in a relentless onslaught of attacks during the five minutes of their match.Discover new chapters at novelbin(.)com

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.

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.