Extra's Path To Demon King-Chapter 21: The Weakest Race

Crow could not help but ask, "Then what exactly is that pressure?"

"I think the pressure affects our mind more than our body, then the mind makes it seem like we are being pressured physically. Think about it, if the pressure targets any of the other stats, there should be physical traces left behind. But there isn't."

"When the pressure becomes too much to handle, you feel like your bones are breaking, but if the pressure is released in the next moments, the feeling of pain vanishes," stated Axel.

Crow shook his head and asked again, "Then how do you explain that many people have actually broken their bones when the pressure crossed a certain limit?"

Axel said helplessly, "I'm not sure, but I think that when your mind is unable to handle it, and you think that you're bone is going to break for sure under a certain pressure, the mind simply makes it true, somehow, I think?"

Axel obviously knew a lot, but he couldn't say too much. The real perspective of knowing that the pressure of the emitted Seeker only targets the mind also helps someone endure it more easily. Hearing his explanation, Crow wasn't totally convinced by it, but a doubt did creep into his mind. Viper mostly ended up agreeing with Crow.

Axel added, "I think the first Elimination round was a combined test for mind and endurance. While this wall punching test was a combination of Agility and Strength. The reason why I think that is because the authorities may not be willing to waste multiple days on such a detailed test of so many people. At the end of the day, we all know the biggest factor in the evaluation is going to be the combat test without a doubt."

The duo agreed with the latter part of his statement, but the first part confused them again. Crow asked, "I understand the first Elimination round could be a test of both mind and endurance, but how is punching the wall part of an agility test?"

"Agility is not simply about picking up speed through running, there are 2 factors that influence how hard your punch hits those walls. One is obviously the strength behind your fists, but the other is how fast you can punch while putting as much strength in it as possible," explained Axel calmly.

Both of them became surprised again by the keen insight, and they could not help but be curious about who this person was.

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"Why don't we introduce ourselves?" said Viper.

She stated, "My codename is Violet Viper."

Crow added, "Codename Black Crow."

Axel did not hesitate to answer, "Salazar."

"Now, that's one hell of a codename," said Viper in a teasing tone.

Axel did not respond and chose to remain quiet.

Crow did the same.

Viper complained, "You guys are no fun, tch tch...."

Axel asked, "Do you guys know each other?"

Crow shrugged, "In the first Elimination round, at the end of it, when many people were attacking each other, we ended up working together to get out of it, that's all."

Axel nodded and went back to his own thoughts, he started thinking about what the next test could be, if enduring the pressure was Mind + Endurance and punching the wall was Strength + Agility, then that would leave only a test for Vitality + Stamina. But how would they even test that? By bleeding us out or something?

After an unknown amount of time, the test was finished, and Examiner Gareth called out to everyone again. He started speaking,

"Now, we only have one more test left before the physical, which would mark the end of the Masked competition; you all better try your best if you haven't done well up till now."

The words of the Examiner made the situation tense again as everyone kept looking at each other warily. But the trio, including Axel, was strangely relaxed. None of them were too tense as if sure that they would make it to the end.

"Well, originally we wanted to do something similar to this wall-punching that you had just done, but these are just too boring, let's make it more exciting for the citizens of the Great Suncrest kingdom, shall we?" exclaimed the Examiner in joy.

Axel instantly started having a bad feeling when Gareth said that. He forcefully calmed himself down as he inspected the surroundings carefully and started to review the words that the Examiner just said, but before he could think too deeply about it.

"Dear future students of the Academy, make sure to survive," stated the Examiner in an ominous tone, while a sinister smile lingered on his face as he disappeared from everyone's view.

Axel's mind continued to ring alarm bells, as his eyebrows arched. The wall that divided the colosseum in the middle did not come undone as it continued to stand tall. Meaning half of the participants were on this side, while the other half was on the opposite side.

Suddenly, a doorway opened on a certain section of the colosseum's wall. It was a giant door, to be precise.

KRRRRRRRRR-CHHHHHHHHHHHH...

A disturbing creaking sound could be heard when the doorway opened in the walls. Soon the same creaking sound could be heard from the opposite side of the colosseum separated by the earth wall.

Thump....thump...thump......

Powerful steps could be heard coming from the large dark passage way as the entire crowd became eerily quiet as if everyone was afraid to even whisper.

Soon, a gigantic greenish figure slowly came out of the door holding a large battle axe. As soon as it came out,

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

GRAAAARRR!

CHAA-CHAA-CHAA! RAWWRRR!

It beat its chest loudly and sounded a powerful battle cry that shook every contestant and audience to their core, Every single participant became petrified in fear as they could not move. Axel had a grim expression on his face behind the mask, he could help but curse internally, 'Goddamn it, has the king gone mad or something?'

'Capturing an orc, if the Orc Empire gets a news of this, every single human kingdom would be wiped out from the face of this world just from a fraction of their forces power, damn it, damn it.'

Axel looked towards the crow and the viper; they were also petrified in fear and were unable to move. The damn orc was enormous, its killing intent was utterly savage as it pressed onto every single participant. It sensed the fear radiating from the humans and smiled while showing large teeth.

A similar battle cry could be heard from the other side right after a moment. The orc let out a beastly roar and started attacking everyone with the Axe. Participants were flung left and right without even realizing what was happening. The moment one gets hit by that ginormous axe, almost every bone in one's body is bound to break.

Despite its large size, the speed of the Orc was nothing to scoff at. Axel's mind kept running on full gear. It was utterly impossible to defeat that monster with individual effort. He understood why the Examiner said 'Survive' instead of 'kill' or 'subjugate'. There was a reason why humans were by far the weakest species on the continent.

Humans had no special abilities, no special talent, whether in terms of physical or magical prowess; other species outclassed them by a wide margin in every single field. Humans did not have the innate potential to reach higher phases either.

The orc released in the colosseum was not a Seeker, just like all the participants here, yet its sheer physical might was so overwhelming that there was no guarantee that even if they all worked together, the participants that are on this side or the other would survive. That was the difference in racial power.

Axel shouted, "Crow, Viper. We need to work together! Otherwise, we're dead."

Crow & Viper broke out of their stupor as they looked at Salazar. They nodded towards him without hesitation. Crow asked him in a trembling voice, "So? How do we survive this monstrosity?"

The orc kept swinging its axe non-stop as more and more contestants were being flung away while having to face serious injuries, the guards swiftly dragged them out after such events. So, no one technically died. For now, the trio kept observing the orc while keeping their distance.

To be honest, Axel didn't have any solid plan. Except for the bloodthirsty nature of the Orcs, they did not have any major weakness that could be exploited. In a physical contest, except for the demons and dragons, the Orcs did not have a competition with anyone else.

Axel turned toward them and stated, "We'll need more people working together and I think you guys know that its impossible to contest against a orc in physical might. We need to make it angrier to make it lose focus, I think. Only then there might be a slim chance to win, I think."

The duo was surprised that Salazar knew so much about the Orcs, but Viper complained,

"That doesn't look like a very convincing plan, and what's with all those 'I think'? Are you kidding me right now?"

Crow added, "That's not even a plan."

Axel sneered, "Of course, it isn't. What to do you expect to do to in front a goddamn orc? It's not like we ever expected them to throw something like this at us in the first place."