Mightiest Melee Magician

“……”

I initially doubted my hearing.

An arm wrestle?

Well, it was the simplest but most effective way of demonstrating my strength, so I thought it would be ok……

“Is that really it?”

“Then, do you need something else?”

“……Nah. Alright, arm wrestle. Let’s do it.”

Compared to the bloodbath of gore and death I was expecting, this was too mellow.

However, I had to concede that treating an arm wrestle between ogres as ‘simply’ an arm wrestle was a mistake on my part.

Because the opponents I would verse in this arm wrestle weren’t any ‘simple’ ogres.

“Wait, am I versing you?”

“Of course, human! I am the son of Ormerukhan, Ormerush!”

“……This. Something definitely went wrong.”

The average height of ogres was usually between 4m and 5m.

However, the ogre Ormerush, who was selected to be my opponent, boasted the greatest height among all the ogres that gathered at Sky Mountain Small Summit.

Naturally, his height wasn’t comparable to the giant ogre that was their chieftain, but he was two heads taller than the average ogre and nearly double their build.

I felt something was wrong because of his forearm.

“How is his forearm as big as me……?”

I was exaggerating a little, but the width of Ormerush’s forearm was as big as an average adult male’s height.

On top of that, the size of his fist was a whole other matter.

I was doubting if I could even hold onto that huge fist and compete in an arm wrestle at all.

An adult and a child.

No.

The difference was too great for me to make a fair comparison with anything else.

However, the mood had already moved past me being allowed to make excuses for a handicap after comparing our sizes.

“Ormerush! Go obliterate that human!”

“Destroy him!”

“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”

“Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!”

“……”

If I even attempted to avoid this battle, they were all prepared to instantly grab me and tenderize my body with the steel clubs they were all holding.

Then…

“Human! Step forth!”

Bam!

One ogre hit my back forcefully, pushing me forward.

The Small Summit was already filled with ogres that came to watch the arm wrestle between an ogre and a human.

“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”

“……”

And I was stuck in a situation where I became surrounded by a hundred excited ogres.

“The chieftain has given the order! Right now, the noble battle between Ormerush, son of Ormerukhan, and the human will begin!”

“Kuaaaaahng!”

“……”

I gulped with nervousness and stood in front of a smooth stone that seemed to have been prepared just for arm wrestles.

On the other side of the stone was Ormerush as he sat on the ground with his elbow on the stone.

He gestured for me to get ready.

I grabbed Ormerush’s hand.

It felt like I placed my hand on a rock, and using the phrase ‘grabbing his hand’ nearly felt awkward in my head.

Then, Ormerush spoke.

“This is the noble battle between ogres! I am Ormerush, son of Ormerukhan! I won’t go easy on you just because you’re a human!”

“……”

Yeah.

The noble battle method that had been passed down through generations.

To be welcomed by them, I needed to follow their traditions.

As I emptied my mind, a sense of prideful determination started growing in my heart.

“Huu…… Alright, let’s see if I die.”

As I also put strength into my grip, Ormerush’s eyes widened a little in surprise.

“I knew you weren’t an ordinary human, but you’ve surprised this Ormerush.”

“Were you surprised? Then, I’ll surprise you even more.”

“This Ormerush will fight his hardest.”

Ormerush and I.

We exchanged signs that signaled both of us had finished preparing.

Then, an ancient ogre with a long beard walked up and placed his hand on top of our clasped hands.

He then shouted as if trying to blow away the mountain itself.

“Ready………………… Begin!”

* * *

I was the first to strike.

“Uhkyakyakyakyakya!”

With the starting signal, I pooled all my strength into my arm and pushed as hard as possible.

Holy shit.

I put in so much strength that I nearly made a mess in my pants.

“……!”

When I put in all my strength as soon as we started, Ormerush’s hesitant eyes instantly changed.

It was the signal of him trying his hardest too.

His fist immediately became heavier and the progress of the battle started to shift.

My current strength was 3,500.

This was the strength supported by having Kunkhan’s Tooth on me.

However, I felt totally powerless.

Crack!

I put in so much strength that the blood vessels in my arms nearly burst, but my arm had already fallen halfway.

I thought that there was no way to push this arm back.

Even so, there was no way I would just sit here and take it.

“Huaaaaaaaaaah!”

I put strength into my legs and used the skill, “Ogre’s Fury”.

When I did, my strength increased so fast that the dirt floor sank down.

Even though it was only for a moment, Ormerush’s arm moved and he lost his balance.

The ogres became excited and frenzied.

“Ormerush! Are you truly fighting with a noble will?”

“Don’t go easy just because it’s a human! Finish this now!”

Ormerush became surprised at the sudden counterattack.

“Or-me-ru-sh never loses!”

“……”

The outraged ogre roared and pushed with all his strength, and I wanted to endure and fight back.

However, in the end…

Bam!

The arm that fell was mine

* * *

* * *

“I, Ormerush’s victory!”

“Ormerush crushed that human!”

“Crush! Crush! Crush!”

“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!”

As the ogres that covered Sky Mountain all shouted excitedly and cheered, I collapsed onto the ground.

“Ah…… I lost.”’

My wrist had lost all flow of blood and I couldn’t feel anything there.

My whole arm felt heavy, as if a weight was attached to the end.

This was the hardest I pushed my strength in my life.

However, I lost.

With the taste of defeat I hadn’t felt in a while, I was also overcome by sudden tiredness.

A little unexpectedly……

I wanted to see my mom.

Ormerush extended his hand to me.

“Human. Stand up.”

“……”

Only then did my senses return.

I had to win this battle to be ‘welcomed’ by these ogres…

But I lost. So what would happen to me?

Would I be banished?

Or, would they kill me?

I grabbed Ormerush’s hand and stood up.

However, compared to my worries, the mood had shifted in a completely different way.

“This is my first time seeing a human like this. Human, what is your name?”

“He held that long against Ormerush, the greatest warrior on Sky Mountain.”

“Human, it’s only natural that you lost. Even that famous Draka took 17 years to beat the greatest warrior on Sky Mountain with only strength.”

“……”

They were friendly to me.

I had definitely lost the arm wrestle, but they hadn’t rejected me.

Rather, they were welcoming me.

As I made a confused expression, Ormerush approached me.

“Losers don’t exist in the noble battle between ogres. Human fought well, so don’t be sad.”

“……Uh?”

“This Ormerush truly marveled at the monstrous strength that poured out of that skinny body. You are strong. You are worthy of respect.”

Then, he grabbed my arm and lifted me into the air and shouted,

“I, Ormerush, son of Ormerukhan—! No! All the ogres on Sky Mountain welcome you!”

A flood of cheers and shouts.

And simultaneously, I saw the quest window that I hadn’t seen in a while.

Quest

Foreigner of Sky Mountain

The ogres of Sky Mountain revere strength. The strong climb higher. Draka took 17 years to become respected by the ogres with strength. Just as he did, you must bend the ogres to your strength. Then, you will gain their respect.

Victory against Ormerush in arm wrestling: 0/1 

Reward: Pride of the ogres of Sky Mountain

A quest that told me that I must win.

‘Draka took 17 years?’

Then, I’ll finish this within a month.

Thanks to the quest and the ogres welcoming me, my competitive spirit was reignited.

I smiled brightly.

“Ormerush. Let’s battle again later. I won't lose then.”

At that, Ormerush snorted and replied,

“Hnghnghng. Whenever, human.”

* * *

As soon as the arm wrestle ended, a boisterous feast table was prepared on the Small Summit.

Unlike the myriad of dishes I saw at the banquet after the Grand Festival, the food prepared here was just filled with barbeques made from spit-roasted pigs.

For drinks, rather than high-class wines and beers, there were only messy half-fermented alcohol and oils from the pig.

“Oh……! It’s delicious.”

But in a weird sense, I liked this better.

It may be because of the sad reason that I was closer to an ogre than a human.

How could I say this……?

“Human. Eat up so you can fight me later.”

“Ok. Thanks.”

“Hnghnghng.”

Maybe it was because they weren’t looking at me with any prejudice.

‘Strong human’.

This one thing was enough of a reason for them to welcome me.

It was the same for me.

“No! Stop! The back leg is mine!”

“What? Do you actually not have eyes? Didn’t you see I grabbed it first?”

“Look at this idiot talking. Follow me. Let’s decide the true owner of that leg.”

“Hmph! Do you think I’m scared? Alright. Let’s go. I’ll win today’s arm wrestle.”

They were all hot-tempered and hasty, and rather than words, they preferred fights.

But after I lost the prejudice that they were monsters, their lives weren’t that different to humans.

Rather, looking at their lives that only aimed to continue to increase their strength, compared to the dirty humans, they felt more pure.

I had a sudden thought.

Why were they still living trapped in this sanctuary?

Well, I would get a chance to ask them later.

But for now,

‘Let’s enjoy this different world.’

I was thinking of just focusing on training and the quest.

I originally looked for this place because of my mission, but I had forgotten all about that right now.

It was because, for some reason, I felt that something that was more important than the mission could be gained here.

Yeah.

My feeling wasn’t wrong.

“So, human, what are you thinking of making with the tooth of our first chieftain?”

“Eh? I haven’t really thought about that yet.”

“If you want, I can make it for you. A weapon that’s fit for only a human.”

“……”

Because it had already happened.

——