The arena's doors opened slowly and the students outside walked towards the 150 combat class students that stood around nervously, ambitious, or full of fighting spirit.
However, all of them had something particular in common, they were expectant to the following challenges as the large mass of students that walked inside spread in order to look out for a suitable pray.
Jason estimated that there were at least 400 students as of now and probably even more that would follow soon.
Nevertheless even these 400 students were more than enough for everyone within the special combat class to fight two times with 100 students that had to fight three times if they were challenged.
The only thing that prevented a large number of students to challenge a single special combat seat, was the recuperation period of 30 minutes after each challenge.
With that and the knowledge that each special combat class lesson was scheduled for 4 hours, one could at most challenge a single student 7 times within a day.
If a student was heavily injured within the previous fight it was only fair for the student to be healed and to receive some recuperation time, as weakening someone and letting the next one occupy the special combat challenger would take place otherwise.
As such, the previously stated measure was taken to prevent students from paying others to plan out their own advancement into the special combat class in order to enter the Big-Three tournament two months later.
While most students from the other affiliated schools walked in, Jason and Seron were talking with each other, not minding the gaze of everyone in their surroundings as a few students walked straight towards them with angered expressions, as they voiced out.
"Aren't you two a little bit relaxed for your shallow mana core rank? A 5th and a 3RD Adept rank dare to take the special combat class seats." He was obviously enraged causing Jason and Seron to look at each other visibly confused as they returned their gaze back to the vexed students.
It looked as if they didn't mind their anger and as Jason and Seron were about to continue their chat a few students shouted out
"Ill challenge you" and their voices rang out simultaneously.
Jason looked at the students in front of them, nonchalantly saying
"Just tell me who's going first...as for the others...you guys should wait patiently" as he turned to Seron once again, who only nodded in agreement.
The students were fuming in rage while their red heads were almost puffing in anger as a certain 1.8-meter tall youth walked out of the group.
"Ill challenge you, goldie" The youth said and he obviously meant Jason with `goldie`, causing Jason to lift his eyebrows.
He had never been called goldie by someone but from the tone of the youth's voice, it was definitely not a compliment.
Scanning his opponent's mana core size with his mana eyes in addition to the transmuted mana, something particular jumped into his view, causing him to smile lightly.
"What are you smiling at? Do you think it's funny to lose your seat on the first day? HAHAHA" The tall youth said and Jason could only shake his head in denial.
Somehow everything seemed like a clich to Jason as he had read too many novels with his mother, causing him to cringe, every time he heard someone boasting about their strength.
What if the tall youth was an 8th Adept rank? Was it important for Jason? Nope!
"If you say so," Jason said, ignoring his provocation as he entered the combat ring, waiting for the tall youth to enter it.
"Ready?" Jason asked impatiently before he activated the AIs countdown when the youth nodded his head.
Summoning a great battle-axe, the tall youth was already ready to charge at him, only waiting for the countdown to go down when Jason unsheathed his two daggers.
Compared to before, Jason began to notice that he required new equipment to fight stronger beasts, as his current daggers were unable to penetrate through evolved ranked beast hide which was especially bad, as he was already at the 7th Adept rank from his mana core size and physique, while his mana core rank was only at the 3rd Adept rank.
Seeing the great battle-axe in his opponent's hands, Jason smiled as he also knew that his opponent didn't own transmuted mana, indicating him having a physical soul, that solely enhanced his physique.
As such, Jason calculated that his opponent had to have a low expert rank physique, which could bring him a huge problem if he was the same as a month ago.
Jason fought often with Greg over the last month and even though Greg's physique was at the 9th Adept rank, thanks to his high physical amplification from his soul, Jason figured out an essential weakness physical souls innately had.
As long as one's physique was much higher compared to the opponent's physique, it was extremely easy to overwhelm one, but once one was able to fight back with either their physique or drag the fight on by using an elemental affinity, it would become extremely difficult for someone with a physical soul world to win against his opponent.
Having an affinity was a huge advantage and so was a high physique, as long as one could overwhelm the opponent with it.
Greg's physique for example was weaker than Jason's affinities and it was possible for him to dominate the fight with it.
Additionally, Gregs amplification from Taurus the reinforced horned bull was mostly towards strength and endurance instead of agility and the same type of physical amplification seemed to be in front of Jason right now.
The youth in front of him was bulky and not even slightly athletic and it would wonder Jason if he could reach an astronomical speed.
And even if the tall youth was faster than him, he still had his affinities left which increased his confidence by a huge margin.
Smiling at his opponent, the tall youth could barely hold back himself, as the AI initiated the start of the spar, as he pushed himself from the ground with all the strength behind his low expert physique.
The difference between both of them couldnt be considered large and with a single push from the ground, the tall youth crossed the distance of a few meters.
Even if Jason predicted the tall bulky youth to be fast, his speed astonished him..
Nevertheless, Jason remained extremely calm and if one were to scan him carefully, one would be able to see a tiny black flame within his right eye spreading a hellish heat, covered by the distinct golden color, while his left eye released a terrifying cold.
Smiling at the charging youth with the battle-axe in his hands Jasons eyes turned cold as he released his mana.