The [Martial Arts Competition] concludes within a single day.
Yet, the number of participants boasts a staggering 506 contenders.
Due to time constraints, up until the main draw of the top 64, several bouts take place simultaneously, each capped at 3 minutes.
Should the combatants reach a stalemate after 3 minutes, the panel of judges will render the verdict.
Once the tournament advances to the top 64 and 32, two matches will proceed concurrently with the time restriction set at 5 minutes.
If at the end of this duration a victor has not emerged, the judges will again step in to decide the outcome.
Starting with the quarterfinals, the competition intensifies to single matches.
The same rules apply as in the previous rounds.
Theo Lyn Waldeurk gazed down indifferently at the opponent kneeling before him.
"Haah."
With that, a third consecutive victory.
Victorious in under a minute for all three bouts, he effortlessly clinched his spot in the main tournament.
Theo watched the other students' matches for a while.
Soon, the preliminaries were over.
'Hmm, as expected from the named characters.'
All the characters he had noted behind the stage before the tournament had advanced to the main rounds.
An announcement flowed from the speakers stationed throughout the arena:
-The main tournament will be held in the central main arena. All spectators wishing to view the main matches, please proceed to the main arena seating area.
-Finalists should arrive at the waiting area at least 10 minutes before their match. The schedule is posted at the center of the main arena. If you have any questions, please inquire with the tournament staff located behind the stage. Thank you.
Theo, now in the seating area of the main arena, glanced at the center of the arena.
A screen, shimmering with a bluish light, was on display—a product of magic.
His match in the top 64 was slated last.
His opponent was Cyrus, a knight department student Theo had soundly defeated in a previous one-on-one tournament.
'Hmm, the round of 64 should be a breeze.'
His draw in the tournament wasn't bad.
In the [Martial Arts Competition], the luck of the draw is important.
One must endure the arduous task of competing in up to nine matches in a single day to claim victory.
Naturally, Theo had prepared for everything possible.
To recuperate from fatigue, he had instructed Amy to bring Little Fist to the arena, and he had also brought the imitation panacea he had received from Taylor.
Then, a voice called out.
"Theo!"
He turned toward the sound.
There was Aisha, standing up, waving at him.
By her side, a familiar array of faces filled the space.
'They've all shown up.'
Siena, Seria, Irene, Julia, Andrew, Eshild.
Even Jang Woohee was there.
All the human named characters with a connection to Theo had gathered, except for Neike and Piel.
It made sense.
The serious competition to recruit Aides would begin next week.
There were few better places than the [Martial Arts Competition] to scout out good talent.
Theo walked over to where Aisha was.
"Good to see everyone."
The group welcomed him warmly.
Seria, sitting at the far left, looked up at Theo with a sly smile.
"Hehe, Theo, you look splendid as always. Would you like to sit here?"
She motioned to the empty space to her left.
Immediately after, Irene, seated at the far right, chimed in.
"Theo, come sit over here."
She indicated the vacant seat to her right.
Theo looked on with a tranquil gaze, his eyes shifting slowly between the two women.
Eshild, unable to hide his amusement, let out a teasing whistle at the scene.
Though Seria and Irene maintained their composure outwardly, inside they were anxious.
Right now, where Theo chose to sit would make a statement.
This was a battle of pride at stake.
He walked deliberately towards Seria, his expression still unfazed.
Seria's lips twitched upwards in uncontained joy, while Irene's face looked as if she had been struck by lightning.
Theo spoke.
“Follow me, Seria.”
He then continued past her and sat next to Irene at the very end.
"!"
Irene's cheeks flushed with joy.
On the other hand, Seria's cheeks trembled with humiliation.
At that moment, Siena, seated to the left of Seria, spoke up.
"Hehe, I want to sit next to Theo as well."
"No, you can't."
"Ah, whyyyyyy~ I want to, I want to, I want to! I want to sit next to Theo!"
Siena pouted and threw a tantrum.
Theo spoke calmly.
“Soon, the puppy you dislike will be here.”
"Ugh. Why is he coming? I don't like him. He's not manly at all."
"Then that settles it."
Theo refrained from commenting on the elf's peculiar logic about a puppy's masculinity.
After hearing Theo's words, the tremble in Seria's cheeks subsided.
'That's right, I heard earlier that Siena and Theo's dog don't get along. I haven't lost to Irene.'
Seria sat down quietly next to Theo, her head bowed.
Regardless, Irene looked on triumphantly, relishing the satisfaction that filled her as she glanced at Seria.
Observing Theo, Eshild grinned with a knowing look, while Andrew's face twisted in distaste.
'Damn it. How did Theo manage to win over a prestigious lady like Seria?'
Andrew's thoughts drifted to the magic competition final that had taken place the day before.
Despite his nickname as a genius mage, he had been defeated by Seria, settling for second place.
But he wasn't too concerned.
The magic competition had prohibited the use of powerful spells, and his strength lay in potent magic like 'Fire Field'.
Still, the debuff magic Seria had wielded was beyond his expectations, especially her binding spell which was beyond the level of a student.
Caught by it, he had screamed in agony.
In the end, Andrew had come to respect Seria as a fellow seeker of magical knowledge.
"Hmm."
Theo's attention then turned to Aisha and Julia, seated in the middle.
"Julia and Aisha, you two seem to be quite close."
"Oh my, Theo. 'Quite close' is an understatement. Julia and I have a special bond, we even teamed up for the knight department's 2v2 tournament."
"Indeed. Aisha and I have quite a bit in common. Above all, I appreciate her constant desire to improve. She has even recently asked me to teach her more about swords—oh, um."
"Ahahaha... We're very close, really,"
Aisha interjected quickly, covering Julia's mouth.
Theo could not suppress a snicker at the sight before him.
In the midst of their friendly chatter:
-Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is over! The Elinia Academy Festival [Martial Arts Competition] main event will begin shortly~!
The center stage announcer bellowed.
The audience erupted in cheers, a roar that surpassed any previous competition.
The announcer continued:
-Before we commence with the main event, we have prepared a special match for you, a contest to determine the true sovereign of the desert!
-As many of you know, the Kyren Zena Continent is dotted with vast expanses of desert, largely ruled by orcs or lizardmen.
The stands went silent as the audience hung on the announcer's every word.
-Thus, it's in the blood of orcs and lizardmen to battle one another. How long has this feud been going on? A hundred years? Two hundred years?
-No! Historical records show that the two races have been warring since the dawn of the Kyren Zena Continent—at least 5,000 years ago. And tonight, the age-old struggle continues right here at Elinia Academy.
-Allow me to introduce the champions from the Hero Department—Noctar and Shagarod!
As the announcer finished, Noctar and Shagarod ascended onto the stage.
Both were mountains of muscle.
A roar of cheers erupted from the audience.
Yet the roar of thousands was drowned out by the zealous cries of the orcs and lizardmen:
"Noctar! Noctar! Noctar!"
"Noctar! Heir to the great Ashen Desert Tribe's chieftain!"
"Sever the lizard's head and offer it to the War God!"
"Shagarod! Shagarod! Shagarod!"
"Shagarod! Heir to the great Blue Sand Tribe's chieftain!"
"Sever the green swine's head and offer it to the War God!"
The two races fought to outdo each other, shouting with frenzied passion.
It was a genuine clash of titans.
The fate of the loser in this bout was beyond anyone's guess.
Sensing the intense spirit emanating from the two races, the announcer quickly moved the event along.
-Do I need to say anything more? Let's get straight to the special match! Are the contestants ready!
Noctar, gripping an axe in each hand, glared at Shagarod.
"This time, Shagarod, it's your neck I'll sever."
With determination, he raised his axe-armed right arm.
Shagarod, clutching a club in each hand, returned Noctar's stare.
"Don't talk too big, Noctar. It makes you look weak."
He too hoisted his club-armed right arm with resolve.
The orcs and lizardmen in the audience, without exception, squealed in excitement as if at a pop idol concert.
The announcer, with a flourish, raised his hand and declared:
-Hahaha, it seems we're ready to go! Then, let the match~~ begin!
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