Chapter 496 – Round Of 16!
“Anyone want a free lunchbox! Of course, it’s free!”
Some staff members came into the player waiting room carrying lunchboxes.
I briefly considered going out to eat lunch.
I saw some other players leaving for lunch as well.
But I was also curious about what the lunchboxes provided at the arena tasted like.
I raised my hand slightly to signal that I would take one.
“Ah, h-here you go!”
The staff member holding the lunchbox awkwardly handed it to me.
I guess this outfit still makes a strong impression.
But this kind of reaction is still better than when I’m recruiting for the muscle wagon at the Adventurer’s Guild.
Now that I’m making a lot of money, I mostly think of it as a charity project, but I’m still continuing the recruitment… I’m an S-rank adventurer now.
Rather, because of my fame, other novice adventurers don’t even think about using my muscle wagon.
Even now, I’m at the Adventurer’s Guild through my clone, watching Melissa and Lenny work hard, or occasionally talking to Kelban.
In the Platoon, I’m acting as usual using my clone.
Going into dungeons alone, using various skills to catch monsters and deliver them to Kelban.
At night, I use a video projection to show Miranda, Melissa, and Lenny how I’m doing in Camel, and then have a fun lovey-dovey sex time.
Ah, now that I think about it, let’s try a video call tonight.
Tina would want to see Miranda’s face too.
I decided on my plans for tonight and ate the lunchbox the staff member had given me.
It was a meal for fighting players, so it was packed with meat, which I personally found very satisfying.
While eating, I looked around at the players who stayed behind to eat lunch with me.
There were some people I saw when I first entered the room, but also some new faces.
They must be people who were treated in the treatment room and then assigned to this room by the staff.
As proof, I didn’t see Sink, who had clearly won.
…Maybe I should have gone to the treatment room instead of coming straight here? But if that were the case, the staff would have told me, so it’s probably fine.
After finishing my meal and waiting, I heard the announcer’s voice.
【Everyone! Did you enjoy your meal! We will now begin the Round of 16! First up, the first match of the Round of 16 is…】
Unlike the Round of 32, the staff didn’t tell us the order in advance for the Round of 16, so I waited quietly until my name was called.
【Next up, the last match of the Round of 16! It’s Sink versus Roger!】
My turn was last.
I got up from my seat and walked towards the arena.
As I appeared in the arena, the announcer said in an excited voice.
【In the Round of 32, we saw the mysterious golden warrior Roger show incredible evasive maneuvers using Bind, along with tremendous brute force! What kind of performance will he show this time!
And his opponent is Sink, who has been toying with his opponents with his flamboyant swordsmanship and finishing them off with a single powerful thrust! This match is highly anticipated! Isn’t that right, Raoh!】
【Besides these two, there are other players who are making a name for themselves in their first tournament. But I’m also very interested in these two.】
I stood facing Sink.
Sink scoffed and said to me.
“Hah, I never thought I’d actually meet you in the next match. You’re out of luck.”
【Alright, the last match of the Round of 16!】
“Honestly, waiting was boring. And we have to do the Round of 8 today…”
【Begin!!!】
“Sorry, but I’ll have to end this quickly!”
Swish!
As soon as the match started, Sink drew the rapier from his waist and immediately thrust it at me.
Watching the rapier coming towards me, I thought.
Sink is a very confident person in his abilities.
In other words, he’s a bit of a narcissist.
I agree with some of what Sink said.
One is that waiting was boring.
Of course, I wasn’t bored while waiting because I was talking with Solly about what techniques to use in the next match, but I was still wondering when the match would start.
And the other is that he’s out of luck.
Of course, it’s not me who’s out of luck.
Clang!
“What!?”
It was Sink.
【Amazing! Roger! He blocked Sink’s sword with just his finger! How did that happen, Raoh!】
I wrapped my finger in magic power to create a plausible effect and then blocked Sink’s rapier with my finger.
【He probably used the magic power on his finger to concentrate his defense on his finger.】
【Oh, such a method!】
I just made the magic power visible to look cool.
“Tch!”
Swish, swish, swish, swish!
Sink took a step back and then tried to thrust at me in quick succession.
And I blocked each thrust with my finger.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
【Sink’s continuous thrusts are landing! But they are all being blocked by Roger’s finger!】
【To block those rapid thrusts… his dynamic vision is outstanding.】
Actually, they were slower than Noah’s attacks that I see during sparring, so it was very easy to block.
In terms of skill, Sink was weaker than Signal, whom I fought in the first round.
For reference, Signal is also weaker than Noah.
If the two of them fought Noah, Noah would quickly rush in and cut their necks in an instant before they could even start their attack.
Of course, it’s not that the two of them are weak.
In terms of the Platoon’s level, they probably have a C-rank level of skill.
Thinking about it, Noah’s growth is very fast.
He hunts in dungeons almost every day and spars with Ninya, Gracia, Lyfa, and me, who are all more skilled than him, so his skills are improving rapidly.
…Of course, his lewdness has also increased recently, which is very good.
“N-no way… my attacks… th-then how about this! Flame Enchant!”
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Flames swirled around Sink’s body.
“Concentrate!”
The flames engulfing his body focused on his rapier.
“Take this! My ultimate technique! Flame Stinger!”
It seemed to be the fastest and most powerful technique Sink had used so far, as he called it his ultimate technique.
But the power of the flames was weak compared to Lyfa’s flames, and the speed of the thrust was much slower than Ninya’s.
Clang!
Just like before, I received Sink’s ultimate technique with my finger.
“Ugh!? N-no way!”
Sink’s confident face was filled with shock, and in that gap, I.
Ting!
I flicked Sink’s rapier away with my finger.
“Ugh!?”
And this time, I gathered magic power and pointed my finger, which was creating a visual effect, towards Sink’s chest.
“Finger Gun.”
Thwack!
“Cough!”
Sink clutched the spot where my finger had pierced him with both hands, knelt down, and hunched over.
That must hurt a lot.
【Roger! He flicked Sink’s sword away with his finger! And then, as if retaliating with a thrust, Roger’s finger strikes! Sink! He is writhing in pain from the stab to his chest!】
【Roger seems to be a player who has mastered high-level body strengthening magic. Otherwise, such a technique would be impossible.】
It’s just my normal physical specs.
I crossed my arms and said to Sink, who was still clutching his chest in pain.
“Are you going to continue?”
“Tch, I’m not giving up this easily…”
“Understood.”
As soon as I confirmed Sink’s intention, I immediately moved behind Sink and grabbed his waist.
“Ugh!? W-what are you doing! Let go! Why are you hugging me all of a sudden…”
“I respect your will, so I’ll end this quickly!”
“What!?”
And I held Sink in place and leaned my body backward.
Thud!
“C-cough!”
I performed a German suplex on Sink.
【Roger! He seemed to be picking up Sink, but then he immediately leaned back and slammed Sink into the ground!】
【It’s a technique that seems difficult to execute without flexible and strong back and abdominal muscles. It seems that Sink has also lost consciousness.】
【The last match of the Round of 16! The winner is Roger, who showed incredible body strengthening magic and agility!!! Medical team! Please take Sink away!】
The medical team is coming towards us.
I let go of Sink, got up, and looked at the audience seats.
Using Zone, I could see my lovers, as well as Father Galf and Father Grapa.
Focusing a little more, I could see the other Knights of the Round Table and the Yaser King as well.
I also saw.
The audience, who were enthusiastic about the match.
And the anticipation in their eyes.
I could have gone back to the player waiting room.
But I still had something left to do.
That is, the victory ceremony!
I did it in the Round of 32, so it would be disappointing if I didn’t do it in the Round of 16!
Before the medical team approached, I straightened my right index finger and stretched my arm out.
【Huh? Roger! He suddenly raised his index finger and stretched out his arm! What does that mean!】
【Isn’t that a declaration that he will be the first place, the winner of the martial arts tournament?】
I took about three steps forward from my spot, then jumped and planted my extended index finger on the ground, straightening my body into a straight line.
【No!? Roger! He’s planted his finger on the ground and is standing straight!】
【I have no idea what he’s trying to do.】
I spread my legs wide, making a straight line, and then twisted my waist, putting power into it, and rotated my body.
Spin, spin, spin, spin!!!
【Nooooooo!!! Roger! He’s spinning! He’s spinning with his finger planted on the ground and his legs spread out!】
“Kyaaaaaaaah!!!”
“What is that!”
“That’s not something a human can do!”
“H-he’s a human top!”
But my ceremony isn’t over yet.
It would be awkward if I just spun and ended it.
That’s why I gathered magic power on my heels and released it as wind.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!
With the addition of the magic wind, I spun even more fiercely, and soon I began to float into the air like a helicopter.
“H-he’s floating! He’s spinning and floating in the air!”
“Uwaaaaaaaa!!! It’s a flying human top!”
“Awesomeeeeeee!!!”
“Why isn’t the bucket falling off!?”
That’s because I fixed it with a transparent magic weapon sticky string so it wouldn’t fall off.
【Roger! He’s spinning so fiercely that he’s even started to float in the air! What does he want to do! If he leaves the arena like this, it won’t do, Roger! There’s still the Round of 8 left!】
I could hear the announcer’s voice in a panic.
Don’t worry, I’m not leaving.
While floating in the air, I checked on my lovers using Zone.
My lovers were giggling and looking at me with soft smiles, or holding their stomachs and laughing.
Ah, Father Galf is holding his head again.
I’m sorry.
But I can’t stop this!
To finish it off, I quickly flipped my body in the opposite direction.
I could tell that all the eyes of the audience were on me.
And in front of all the spectators, I raised my head, stretched out my right hand diagonally upwards, and made a bicep with my left arm, striking a pose.
“”Waaaaaaaaaaah!!!””
The audience all started cheering at once, realizing that all the actions I had just done were part of my victory ceremony.
【It’s a pose! Roger! He’s taken his victory pose again, following the preliminaries and the Round of 32!】
【It seems that all the bizarre actions he just did were all preparation steps for the victory ceremony.】
【It’s such a cumbersome and eccentric action! But this riot! I don’t dislike such actions! Rather, it’s very exciting! I’m very much looking forward to what kind of ceremony Roger will show us next!】
After that, I landed cleanly, waved to the audience, and walked back towards the player waiting room.
As I walked, I felt the enthusiastic cheers and attention of the audience pouring towards me, and the feeling of superiority and fulfillment was no joke.
Is it possible that professional wrestlers do such exaggerated performances because they like this feeling?
『Shall we do a pro wrestler cosplay tonight?』
A sticky three-day night with Solly in a pro wrestler outfit…
I’m very much looking forward to it!
