I Became A Third-Rate Villain In The Hero Academy [On Hold]

Chapter 17: Practical Skills Evaluation (3)

Orcs are an exceptional combat race.

Not only do they possess outstanding strength and stamina, but every individual is also born with innate battle instincts and a unique ability called "Blood Rage."

By the age of 12, they're considered adults.

In close combat, there are few races that can surpass orcs, aside from a small number of elite warriors.

However, orcs have clear limitations. They struggle with handling mana and have generally lower intelligence.

They excel in close combat, but not in other areas.

Archers who fire arrows from afar, assassins who appear without a trace and slip away after taking a life – there are many professions that don't mix well with orcs.

Among these, the profession with the worst compatibility is undoubtedly the mage.

High-ranking mages, who can cause all sorts of bizarre phenomena, are not just hated by orcs but are also the subjects of their fear. Orcs particularly dislike magic that causes confusion, paralysis, or fear.

Orcs generally have low magic resistance, so they are easily affected by status abnormalities spells that wouldn't affect humans.

No matter how physically superior orcs may be, they are useless against mages.

Over time, orcs began to learn magic instead of shunning it.

Although they study in academies and magic towers, magic and orcs are fundamentally incompatible.

Orcs have insufficient intelligence for learning magic, and their mana affinity is low. As a result, the most accomplished orc mage in history has only reached the 5th Circle.

Thus, the orcs' hatred and fear of mages have persisted for thousands of years.

[···The match will now begin! The long-awaited 35th match is between the 9th-ranked student, Andrew, and the 71st-ranked student, Noctar!]

Andrew and Noctar entered the arena.

However, the spectator stands were silent.

It was too quiet compared to the noise when other students entered.

About 100 orcs are enrolled at Elinia Academy. Orcs have powerful voices, so just a few cheering can echo throughout the entire stadium. But no one was chanting Noctar's name.

"Good luck, Noctar."

I quietly cheered for Noctar in a low voice. In contrast, the elite orcs sitting next to me had gloomy faces and lowered heads.

The Hero Department reigns supreme over all departments in the academy.

This means that Noctar, as the leader of the elite orcs of the Hero Department, is the leader of all first-year orc students in the academy.

Naturally, the leader's match should be cheered for, but all the orcs wore gloomy expressions and lowered their heads.

'I didn't know that orcs were this afraid of mages. It feels different to see it in person.'

Even though orcs are aggressive, their deeply-rooted fear of mages was much stronger.

Most orc students in the Hero Department transfer to other majors before their third year due to poor grades. Many 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-year orcs in the Knight Department are originally from the Hero Department.

The senior orc students gazed down at Noctar with sad eyes.

They had experienced this before.

Even an orc who's far above a mage's level will find it hard to defeat one.