Theo's eyes were bloodshot as he faced off against Noctar.
He swiftly dodged the oncoming axe while simultaneously launching a counterattack.
Clang!
The axe and longsword clashed.
The axe grazed the collar of Theo's shirt, while the longsword brushed against Noctar's thigh.
"Heh, hahaha!"
Theo's ragged breaths and Noctar's wild laughter resonated throughout the arena.
Neither yielding an inch, the two warriors continued their fierce exchange.
At that moment, their sole desire was clear: to bring down the opponent in front of them.
Ever since the start, Theo felt as if his mind was on the verge of breaking.
The amplified [Overload] increases its effect, but the backlash is just as intense.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
It had been about 30 seconds since he activated it.
He had already used it during his duel with Julia, and that felt like ages ago.
His eyes were so bloodshot they seemed ready to burst, and every muscle and joint screamed in pain.
Nevertheless, Theo drew upon the most beautiful and powerful swordsmanship he'd ever witnessed.
Techniques inspired by Piel's elegant swordplay, and other unparalleled swordsmen, melded into his improvised style.
'Damn, he's an absolute monster.'
Noctar seemed to have no weaknesses.
And he was smart.
He actively utilized his [Hard Skin] trait, allowing attacks on non-lethal areas like his forearms and chest, then instantly retaliating with his axe.
A real blade might have penetrated Noctar's thick skin, but a dull training longsword?
Highly unlikely.
But for Theo, even one hit from Noctar's axe would spell the end.
...But there's no point in whining.
Instead of wasting time on such trivial thoughts, it would be wiser to figure out how to bring Noctar down.
He was getting tired.
He had to find a way to defeat him, and fast.
"Ha... ha... ha..."
His breath was short, almost choking him.
He felt like collapsing right then and there.
He wanted to abandon everything, even his [Twisted Noble's Dignity].
His low tenacity was tempting him, saying he had done enough and deserved a break.
'But I can't stop now.'
He bit his lip so hard that he tasted the rich iron tang of blood.
Giving up would mean the end of everything.
Words weren't necessary.
Only actions and results mattered.
The belief he held since childhood was that one's actions were the true measure of virtue.
He cast aside childish self-comforts like, 'I've done enough, I've tried my best.'
He also discarded the idea of conserving energy for the next match.
After all, if he couldn't bring down the mountain-like presence that was Noctar, there would be neither victory nor a next match.
In this place, there should be nothing but fiery determination and the hot sweat soaking one's clothes.
Towards Theo, Noctar swung his axe fiercely and shouted,
"Hahaha! Theo! You've improved so much! If you didn't have your traits, you would've been beaten by now! How did you get so strong? You're entirely different from when I saw you in the training field!"
"Noctar, the same goes for you."
Murmuring softly, Theo dodged Noctar's axe swings and counterattacked.
A real fight is more effective than practicing a hundred times, or so they say.
It hadn't even been a minute since Theo started clashing with Noctar, but Theo's counterattacks had become sharper, landing effective hits on Noctar repeatedly.
If it weren't for Noctar's [Hard Skin] trait and his robust orc physique, a regular human would've already been defeated by now.
But Noctar knew his strengths very well.
'Just one more good hit and victory is mine!'
Somewhere along the line, Noctar, realizing how much he'd grown, laughed heartily at his friend who had also grown stronger.
Compared to him, Theo's stamina and physical defenses were much less impressive.
Just one effective hit, and Theo would go down.
Even a graze would accumulate damage.
The way Theo looked, bursting with energy yet seemingly teetering on the edge, proved it.
"Don't fall just yet, Theo! Entertain me more!"
"I'll knock you down soon, Noctar!"
Over a minute had passed since Theo activated his amplified [Overload].
The orcs in the audience were swept up in a fervor.
"This is a true battle of warriors! Go, Noctar! Just land one solid hit! He's faltering!"
"Theo, you're truly incredible! Who would have thought a human could be this strong? I didn't expect him to go toe-to-toe with Noctar!"
"Keep it up, Noctar! Prove who the true warrior is!"
Every orc present was on their feet, cheering wildly.
On the other hand, the reporters, guild, and government officials whispered amongst themselves with shocked expressions.
"...What's going on? Was Theo always this good? He's holding his ground against Noctar. No, if it were a real sword, I think he might have won."
"Well, if it were a real sword, Noctar wouldn't have fought so recklessly. But it's surprising. Theo looks completely different from when he faced Ralph. With those movements, he should definitely be among the top, right?"
"Is it because it's the Hero Department? Even the lowest-ranked student has that level of ability. Maybe he's finally tapped into his potential..."
"This year's batch is exceptional, but... From what I see, Theo stands out. I've reviewed countless profiles of middle and lower-ranked students, but none of them have this level of skill. Being a direct descendant of the Waldeurk family, it might be due to his potential."
"...Theo Lyn Waldeurk ranked 181st in his grade. As far as I know, he held the same rank in the first semester... What on earth happened over the summer break?"
"As they say, a tiger doesn't bear a weak cub. He's already demonstrated strategy, patience, and composure... and now, if his strength is at that level, he might very well succeed the current head as a remarkable hero."
Other student spectators purely enjoyed the intense, sweat and blood-filled match.
However, the Knight Department students were abuzz.
Most of them watched with wide eyes as Theo, on the field, held his own against Noctar.
"Wow... Look at Theo's face. He looks ferocious, like a demon straight out of hell."
"He seems much stronger than when he faced Julia... Wait? The sword technique he's using now, doesn't it resemble Irene's?"
Their discussions were short-lived.
"Look! Gulrik's down!"
"Irene's joining Theo!"
"That's it, Irene! Take down the Orc Warlord!"
It was because Gulrik, whose double buffs had expired, had now knelt.
Irene immediately rushed to Theo's side.
"Theo! Are you okay?!"
Of course, he didn't look okay.
Theo was already in a battered state, looking as though he was just moments away from collapsing.
His legs wobbled, and blood poured from his nose.
'I have to use it.'
For a long time, it remained incomplete and unusable.
But not being able to complete it is no longer an excuse for not using it.
'I have to save Theo…!'
It's clear why Theo was pushing himself this hard.
He must want to win that badly.
Irene wanted to respond to Theo's determination.
Does she still have the strength to use it?
Dashing towards Noctar like a shot arrow, Irene used her sword.
"Haahhhhh─!"
Like Theo's swordsmanship, it didn't have a name.
But the name didn't matter.
Not if the technique encapsulated over a decade of her insights.
And if it could save Theo.
That unnamed 13 rapid thrusts pierced Noctar's thigh. contemporary romance
Not all 13 landed, but 3 strikes were 'precisely' on target.
"Kuaaahhhh─!"
Noctar let out a ferocious roar.
Due to the aftereffects of her technique, Irene couldn't land a follow-up blow.
But Theo wouldn't miss such a brief opening.
"I'm sorry, Noctar. But this isn't a 1v1 duel. You truly fought well; now rest."
With that─
Thud!
Theo's longsword struck Noctar's head.
The first match of the round of 16, between Team Theo & Irene and Team Noctar & Gulrik, had come to an end.
A hushed silence fell over the stadium; not a single voice could be heard.
All eyes were wide, silently observing the scene before them.
On the field stood Theo, his attire slightly disheveled but still retaining an air of dignity.
Beside him, Irene gazed at Theo with a face full of concern.
Next to the two humans, Gulrik knelt on the ground, defeated, while Noctar stood still, frozen in place.
...Noctar had passed out while still on his feet.
And so, the victors of this intense match were Team Theo & Irene.
[Wha, what just...?]
The commentators were at a loss for words, their eyes just as wide as the spectators', both stunned by the unexpected turn of events.
The only ones to break the silence were the orcs.
---
T/N: The title is insipired by a song (?? ?? ??) of the same name by Akdong Musician
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