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It wasn’t due to a lack of skill on her part. In the beginning, Tilla had matched the orc warrior blow for blow, demonstrating her exceptional prowess. The problem began when the orc warrior started using a Spirits Weapon.

The opponent Tilla faced wielded a massive hammer. His strategy involved pressuring his opponent with martial arts and then delivering a lethal strike with the hammer whenever he found an opening.

When the orc warrior began to draw out the spirit within the hammer, the situation changed. The hammer, moving on its own, combined with the orc’s unarmed martial arts, overwhelmed Tilla.

While Siris possessed the technical skills to handle attacks from multiple directions, Tilla’s strategy, which relied on overpowering her opponent before they could utilize their techniques, was less effective.

Moreover, the current Ritual of Hotu was not a life-or-death battle but a duel to test their skills, which put Tilla at a disadvantage.

Tilla was the “only” warrior of the Steel Hammer clan, meaning she had always trained alone without peers to spar with.

After meeting Repenhardt, Tilla had numerous bouts with Siris and fought other dwarf warriors in the Grand Forge, becoming more accustomed to fighting others. However, she still hadn’t mastered controlling her attacks perfectly.

Simply put, she couldn’t swing her axe with full power for fear of killing her opponent. Siris, with over fifty years of experience against various foes, could stop her sword right at the vital point, but Tilla, whose strength far exceeded her skill, could not replicate such a feat.

Thus, Tilla had to swing her axe with only about half her strength, always ready to halt her attack. She couldn’t even use the power of Earth Resonance. There was no point in multiplying her power tenfold if she couldn’t control it. Besides, she couldn’t risk splitting her opponent in two when the goal was to foster camaraderie.

In truth, the orcs would have celebrated even if one of their kin was split in half, as long as it was the result of a “fair” duel. That’s just the kind of people they were.

But Tilla didn’t know that, and even if she did, it wasn’t in her nature to act that way. In the end, she had to concede defeat.

“I… lost…”

The orc warrior, having put away his hammer, let out a victorious roar. Stalla raised her hand, declaring the Blue Bear Tribe’s victory. She then looked at the dejected Tilla and gave her a gentle smile.

“Dwarf woman, you are an exceptional warrior, but you are not yet complete. Holding back your full strength is an insult to your opponent, though I understand that was not your intention.”

Stalla, with her keen insight, had already seen through why Tilla had not fought with all her might. She continued in a stern voice, as if scolding her.

“This is not a fight to the death, so it was wise of you to gauge your skills and only use what you could handle. That is the mark of a true warrior. However, dwarf woman, it seems you lack the discernment to accurately judge your opponent’s abilities. Even if you had used your full strength, the warriors of the Blue Bear Tribe would have been able to handle it. This shows a lack of insight on your part, which you must work to improve.”

At Stalla’s solemn words, Tilla lowered her head in silence. She then trudged back to her companions and asked,

“…What did she say?”

Repenhardt couldn’t help but let out a wry smile. Stalla had indeed given some wise advice, but the problem was she had done so in Orcish. How could Tilla possibly understand?

Repenhardt gave a rough summary.

“She said it’s good that you understood your limits, but you didn’t need to.”

“…What?”

It seemed he had summarized too much. Tilla tilted her head in confusion. But Repenhardt, too lazy to explain further, simply waved his hand dismissively.

“Well, anyway, you got recognition, so it’s fine.”

Despite her defeat, Tilla’s powerful strikes had left a deep impression on the orc warriors. They all acknowledged her as an excellent and trustworthy warrior and cheered for her.

Repenhardt patted Russ on the back, pushing him forward.

“Now, it’s your turn. Don’t go overboard.”

“Yes, yes.”

Nodding, Russ stepped into the clearing. Drawing his sword, he shouted in a hearty voice,

“I am Cyrus von Tenes, inheritor of the Tenes sword! I stand here to prove the worth of a warrior!”

Russ’s chivalrous demeanor earned cheers from the orcs, while Repenhardt’s group couldn’t help but cringe at his grandiosity. Even Stalla, being an orc herself, seemed to appreciate Russ’s attitude, showing a favorable expression.

As before, Stalla scrutinized Russ to gauge his abilities and select a suitable opponent. Orc warriors eagerly awaited her choice, craning their necks in anticipation. Suddenly, Stalla’s expression hardened.

Gazing at Russ, she let out an exclamation of admiration.

“Karuga!”

It was an orcish word meaning warrior. Suddenly, Stalla extended her left hand to the side. The orc warriors, who had been about to charge forward, flinched and looked at their matriarch. They were all surprised.

Stalla, who was always calm, had eyes that gleamed red. Her eyes were filled with excitement, anticipating the battle.

“I will face this one myself!”

Stepping forward, Stalla burst into laughter. The orc warriors murmured in confusion.

“What?”

“Why would the matriarch fight directly?”

Stalla pulled back her hood and revealed her face, smiling like a beast.

“This one is Karuga, a warrior! Blessed by the great spirit Debata!”

A warrior blessed by the spirit, Karuga.

This was an orc-specific expression referring to a warrior who had awakened their aura.

Orcs who reached the level of drawing out the spirit of their weapon were called warriors. Among these warriors, those who awakened their aura were called Karuga, reigning above other warriors.

In ancient times, there was a position called Taikaruga, a grand warrior who ruled the entire orc tribe with the recognition of all warriors. However, in the current era, where most tribes barely survived in remote areas, this was a legendary tale. Thus, the title of Karuga was the highest honor for the greatest warrior among orcs in this era.

Stalla Langar Beta.

She was one of the only two orcs in the Blue Bear Tribe who held the title of Karuga. She was the strongest warrior, receiving the respect and reverence of all orcs.

For her to now call a human a Karuga? The orc warriors began to murmur, looking at Russ with eyes filled with awe.

“Karuga!”

“Karuga Klta Chaser!”

Although Russ couldn’t understand the orcish language, he could sense from the atmosphere that the orcs were showing him considerable respect. He smirked wryly. He knew he wasn’t particularly humble…

‘If they’re this surprised by me, what will they do when they see hyung?’

Stalla, having removed her hood, walked out into the open space. Seeing her face, Russ was momentarily taken aback.

‘Wait, she’s a woman?’

The intimidation she exuded had made Russ assume she was a man. Although he acknowledged the skills of women like Siris and Tilla, as a knight, he couldn’t entirely shake off the notion that women were weaker beings needing protection.

‘Do I have to draw my sword against a woman?’

Feeling awkward, Russ reluctantly drew his sword. As he did, Stalla, who had approached closer, threw off her cloak!

Whirl!

Stalla’s entire body was vividly exposed under the sun of the wilderness. And Russ was momentarily thrown into confusion.

‘…A woman?’

Something seemed off.

No, she was definitely a woman, but… those burly biceps, triceps, and thigh muscles were truly unsettling. No, typically, body fat should be evenly distributed, but how could that orc woman have such a prominent six-pack and still maintain such a full chest? Was it a characteristic of the orc race? He glanced at the other orcs, but seeing some of the warriors with relatively smooth bellies, it didn’t seem to be a universal trait.

As Russ stood there in disbelief, Stalla drew her cherished weapons.

Her weapons were two daggers, about 40 centimeters long each. Most orcs believed that “the bigger the weapon, the more beautiful it is,” but she uniquely favored short weapons.

Gripping her two daggers and assuming a stance, Stalla shouted in the common tongue.

“Mother of the Blue Bear Tribe, warrior Stalla! I challenge you!”

* * *

Wooong!

With a loud noise, Russ’s longsword was enveloped in a blue light. The purest light of destruction, Blade Aura, shone brilliantly over the wilderness ground.

Stalla’s dual daggers also emitted Blade Aura. The bluish-purple aura wrapped around the blades, glowing dazzlingly.

Wooong! Wooong!

The fighting spirit flared up, heating the air between Russ and Stalla. The flow of energy tore through the air, creating a faint noise. Russ’s gaze became intense. They just assumed their stances and glared at each other…

‘Strong!’

The aura emanating from Stalla was astonishing. The terrifying energy silently ensnared his entire body. It was as if he was submerged in icy water, his whole body constantly sounding a danger alarm. The thoughts of her being a woman or an orc were no longer in his mind.

The orc woman before him was the first formidable opponent he had encountered since Repenhardt! Her presence was even more formidable than the Dwarven Aura users of the Grand Forge!

‘I can’t be outdone in momentum!’

The tip of Russ’s sword trembled slightly. Stalla’s dual daggers quivered minutely.

“Taaaah!”

With a prolonged shout, Russ took the initiative. He closed the 4-meter distance and swung his sword long. The blue aura extended like a whip, lashing at Stalla’s legs.

“Haha!”

With a burst of laughter, Stalla kicked off the ground.

Boom!

A thunderous sound erupted as dust exploded from the spot she had kicked. Using her tremendous leg strength, Stalla flew straight towards Russ.

The two daggers, imbued with bluish-purple aura, darted around Russ’s field of vision, creating a chaotic display. With complex trajectories, Stalla relentlessly stabbed at Russ’s vital points. Instead of counterattacking, Russ twisted his body to avoid fatal wounds and thrust his sword at Stalla’s chest. Rather than parrying each attack, he opted to deliver a decisive strike, forcing her to retreat. It was an embodiment of the principle that the best defense is a good offense.

“Oh? You’re clever!”

Ignoring the incoming attacks to counterstrike instead was something only a seasoned warrior could pull off. Impressed, Stalla quickly retracted her attack and crossed her daggers to guard her chest. The blue Blade Aura clashed with the two streams of bluish-purple aura, creating a powerful shockwave in the air.

Zzeong!

The thunderous sound of the collision spread the shockwave in all directions, tearing up the ground and heating the air. Blades clashed repeatedly, sending out continuous ripples. The intense remnants of destruction fervently plowed the unfortunate wilderness ground.

“Taaah!”

“Krararara!”

Stalla and Russ exchanged dozens of fierce strikes. In terms of skill and aura, Stalla was clearly superior. However, Russ, whose talent was unparalleled under the heavens, covered his lack of experience and skill purely with instinct. Amazingly, he managed to hold his own against Stalla, maintaining a stalemate.

Stalla’s face gradually showed more admiration.

‘How interesting. How does he manage such attacks?’

Russ’s sword was truly tricky to deal with. He would turn his back, only for his sword to suddenly come from the left. A downward slash would feel like it was striking from the side.

It was the “Russ’s signature free-form attack.” His unpredictable swordplay, unbound by martial theory, continuously struck from unexpected angles, keeping Stalla on the defensive while preventing her from landing a decisive blow.

Nonetheless, it was an exhilarating fight. Since receiving the Blessing of the Fighting Spirit, this was the first time she had encountered an opponent who gave her such a thrill. Excited, Stalla opened her mouth to praise Russ.

“Your talent is amazing, young one! But you still lack experience!”

Only after speaking did she remember that her opponent didn’t understand Orcish. Stalla dodged an attack and shouted again in the common tongue.

“You are good! But I am old!”

Saying it out loud, she realized it didn’t come out quite right. She sighed inwardly.

‘Ugh, that’s not what I meant to say.’

There was nothing she could do. No matter how wise Stalla was, she was still an orc. Despite having the language of sages in her mind, her orcish tongue and vocal cords could only produce simple common speech.

“What are you talking about?”

As expected, Russ was bewildered. Smiling wryly, Stalla continued.

“It’s a compliment!”

“…?”

“Forget it! Let’s just fight!”