Chapter 12: Angry (1)
4:40 in the afternoon.
A tad early for dinner.
As with last week, Noctar and I agreed to spar first.
Creak—
Upon reaching the training field, Noctar and I immediately headed for the sparring arena.
We were greeted by an array of practice weapons displayed on the rack.
Noctar chose a two-handed mace.
I gave a light-hearted smile.
"You don't need to hold back like that."
The two-handed mace was the primary weapon of Ralph, my opponent in the upcoming practical exam.
No doubt, his choice was meant to help me prepare for the exam.
I felt a twinge of guilt—I'd already received much assistance from Noctar.
"No, I just thought I might not be able to hold back if I picked an axe. My heart won't stop racing today."
Saying that, Noctar started warming up.
He must have felt the aura of my enhanced Natural Power all day.
Orcs are a warrior race.
Unlike most humans, they choose to battle the strong.
That aside, I wonder how long I can hold out today.
3 minutes? 5 minutes?
While not as proficient as with an axe, Noctar handles a mace pretty well.
The mace is his second-best weapon.
I chose a longsword and a shield and started warming up as well.
The power I could feel deep within me seemed to be boiling over.
Just stretching out, I could feel a significant difference in strength compared to before.
Like Noctar, my heart pounded rapidly.
Thud, thud.
Once warmed up, I walked towards Noctar who was standing in the middle of the spacious sparring arena.
Excited, Noctar grinned, his teeth chattering.
"Hehe, let's get started... Hmm? Looks like some other friends have arrived."
I turned around.
"Good to see you, Noctar, Theo. Didn't know anyone else would be here this early."
"Orc captain and... blockhead."
It was Neike and Piel.
Looks like they've come to spar as well.
They are set to face each other in the upcoming practical exam.
This practical exam allows students from other departments, professors, facility staff, and all non-Hero Department individuals to watch.
Naturally, all other departments have the day off.
It's an opportunity for them to see the potential heroes they might serve in the future.
Although it's optional, no student would miss it.
Neike and Piel are ranked first and second.
They are prodigies who, even continent-wide, are hailed as once-in-a-decade talents.
Their match has become the center of attention for everyone, not just the Hero Department.
By this time tomorrow, the entire academy will be buzzing with rumors.
Their duel was scheduled last.
I addressed them.
"I'll go first."
"Ah, naturally. You guys arrived first. We'll wait, go ahead."
Neike and Piel move toward the audience seats.
I briefly glance at the two of them, now seated among the spectators.
Piel is destined to lose.
Neike will win effortlessly, not even a minute required.
Afterwards, with her pride broken, something begins as Neike consoles Piel.
It's said that capable people can do anything, huh.
But that's a different story... I have my own battle to fight.
"Huff..."
I firmly gripped my sword, exhaled, and glared at Noctar. Noctar, unlike usual, was radiating a fierce aura.
It felt like I was facing a gladiator from a movie. The arena was similar to a colosseum, there were even spectators despite them being few, and in front of me stood a gigantic orc, almost 2 meters tall.
Noctar adjusted his grip on his mace.
"If you don't come, shall I go first?"
"...I'm going."
With that, I dashed off.
From the stands, Piel watched Theo and Noctar's duel unfold.
'If the Orc doesn't hold back... would he last about a minute?'
Every aristocrat, senior, peer, and even professors approached Piel with a smile.
However, Piel showed little interest in those around her.
But even she knew about that Orc, Noctar Hermod.
His reckless and wild axe swings during the first-semester practical evaluation left quite an impression.
'Is he even worth his time?'
Theo Lyn Waldeurk.
Possessing the most noble bloodline, but utterly incompetent. To make things worse, he had a disgraceful personality — a humiliation to the Hero Department.
Piel couldn't stand how that trash tainted the reverence she had built for noble lineages.
Whoosh, whooosh —
The Orc's mace ripped through the air, emitting a thunderous roar.
The gap between the two was simply too large.
To the fool, that Orc was an insurmountable wall.
Much like the difference between Neike and herself.
But then,
"Oh? Theo. You're doing better than I thought."
Neike spoke from beside her.
True to his words, the fool was putting up a decent fight.
Even managing to counter using the Orc's own momentum.
'Did he always have this much skill?'
Of course, compared to Neike or herself, it was nothing. But the fool's movements were sharp.
He had strength and stamina too.
Enough to match the Orc's weapon blow for blow.
Of course, the overall battle was in the Orc's favor.
In a way, he was just hanging on.
'But...'
The fool's eyes were filled with determination.
Not just enduring, but looking like he intended to win.
And so, the fool stood his ground against the Orc, teetering on the edge of breaking, but never quite doing so.
"Hahaha, Theo! What happened over the weekend? You're like a completely different person!"
The Orc roared, seemingly in high spirits.
At the same time, the Orc's movements became even faster and more powerful.
His inherent traits, Battle Instinct and Blood Fury, were now in play.
'It's over...'
Facing an Orc in this state would be challenging even for her.
Of course, she would win if she fought to the end.
The tingling energy of the Orc seemed to wash over the audience.
However, the determination in the fool's eyes did not wane.
"Dodge, Theo! Show him what it means to be a Waldeurk!"
Aisha, who had somehow found her way to the opposite seats, was cheering on the fool.
'Wasn't she supposed to dislike the fool?'
After activating his orc trait, Theo focused entirely on defense, unable to launch a counterattack.
He allowed minor attacks but dodged any that were threatening.
'No way.'
Was he still thinking of winning?
"Right, Theo! That's it! Even orcs might falter if you hit them properly. Brush off those attacks! Ah, that, that...
Phew..."
With Aisha's sigh,
Crack!
Theo's practice longsword was cleaved in half.
Unable to withstand the orc's attack, it broke.
"It's over. Did Theo really get this far? He's a completely different person from the first semester."
Neike mumbled from the next seat.
"...lost."
"Hahahaha! As I thought, Theo! You were born with the blood of a warrior!"
As the orc extended his hand in laughter, Theo shook it.
Theo's expression was as unflappable as ever.
Yet, Piel didn't miss the fleeting emotion that momentarily lingered on his face before disappearing.
"..."
It was 'anger'.
The primal emotion most needed for improvement.
An emotion she had unknowingly forgotten after confronting the massive mountain that was Neike.
After the duel, as was my usual routine, I headed to have dinner with Noctar.
However,
"Are you going for dinner? I'll join you. I've tried the student cafeteria food and it was surprisingly good~."
Aisha casually joined us.
Hmm, I remember she had a gourmet setting.
The student cafeteria food isn't bad, but it's no match for a restaurant.
"..."
"Oh, a new warrior is always welcome. You're the archer, right? Aisha, was it? Your skills were excellent, I remember."
"Correct. You're Noctar Hermod, the head of the orc students, aren't you? I've watched your duel with Theo from the beginning, and it was refreshing to see the spirit of a strong warrior after such a long time."
"Hahahahaha, every member of the Ashen Desert Tribe carries the spirit of a strong warrior! Well, you have a way with words! I thought you were only similar to Theo by your looks."
"···What do you mean by 'similar to Theo', Noctar."
After an unusually boisterous dinner, I returned to my room after finishing my strength training.
Amy, who usually would have been there, was absent.
Hmm, I thought she wouldn't understand if I told her just once.
But now that she's gone, I feel somewhat empty.
I changed into my robe and sat on the bed, replaying my battle with Noctar.
I lost today.
Brutally.
A person who neither has talent nor trains has no right to speak.
The wall named Noctar was high.
After his trait was activated, there was nothing I could do except defend.
Moreover, Noctar used a mace, not his primary weapon, the axe.
Ralph, whom I should face during the practical skills evaluation, would surely have better mace skills than Noctar.
"Damn."
I certainly made progress.
But I was frustrated.
Of course, if I had used 'Overload', the special effect of Natural Power which increases stats for a certain period, I might have lasted longer, but I wouldn't have won.
And Overload leaves me suffering from severe muscle pain for a few days after use, so I can only use it on Fridays before the weekend.
I want to become stronger.
I need to become stronger quickly.
······Speaking of which, I had earned some gold coins from the shop.
I opened the shop window.
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