Okay, I was bashing the dude for predictably getting demolished last chapter just like in every one of these stories. But I'll admit that it wasn't quite as horrible as it could have been. The shithead actually proved to be a plausible threat, it forced Tama to discover a new ability, and progressed the relationship between him and the elf.
While I wish that was the bare minimum that any story would do with one of these scenes, that just isn't the case. Most of them just act as a chance for everybody in the guild/bar/inn to suck off the main character for being so cool. This was a pleasant surprise, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to renounce my cynicism from the last chapter.