SSS Class Awakening: I Can Forge My Beast Soul Avatars
Chapter 26: The Duel Begins

Chapter 26: The Duel Begins

Morning arrived faster than anyone had anticipated.

News of the duel scheduled for that Saturday had spread throughout the academy like wildfire, and by the time the sun had fully risen above the surrounding mountain peaks, nearly every student on campus seemed to be talking about it.

Saturdays were the only days reserved for official extracurricular activities like sanctioned duels and inter-class competitions.

Monday through Friday were dedicated to core academic lectures and practical drills, while Sundays served as strict rest days where only light recreational activities were permitted.

Because of this schedule, official weekend events were rare enough to draw massive crowds.

And this particular match had practically become the academy’s main attraction.

Students navigated the cobblestone pathways in their casual attire, gathering in animated groups as they made their way toward the grand auditorium.

Speculation about the upcoming match echoed through the open courtyards, stone corridors, and garden walkways.

Class 5D versus Class 5E.

The academy’s fifth-ranked class against the class sitting dead last.

To the vast majority of onlookers, the outcome seemed like a foregone conclusion.

That certainty only made them more eager to watch the show.

Inside their dorm room, Eric adjusted his glasses, glancing toward Claus, who was still sprawled across his mattress with the expression of a man who had personally declared war on the concept of early mornings.

"Have you heard about the duel, Claus?"

Claus barely moved. He offered a lazy shrug before rolling over to face the blank wall beside his bed, apparently finding the bare masonry far more compelling than the biggest event on campus.

Eric let out a quiet sigh.

"I still can’t believe your class agreed to a duel against a team ranked so far above you." He turned toward Atlas, who stood near the tall mirror, carefully adjusting the crisp lapels of his newly acquired academy uniform.

"We didn’t exactly propose it," Atlas replied casually, straightening his collar and inspecting his reflection. "They did."

"Perhaps they’re planning to use it as a low-risk warmup for the upcoming tournament," Eric offered.

The thought made Atlas pause. His fingers froze mid-adjustment as his eyes narrowed into the glass.

’Wait... now that I really think about it, Class 5D pushing so aggressively for this match is strange.’

His brow furrowed in concentration.

’Why go through the trouble of dragging their lead instructor into the challenge? And why were they so insistent that we put forward our absolute strongest fighters?’

A sudden realization struck him like a splash of cold water.

’They aren’t just trying to humiliate us — they’re gauging our actual combat capabilities before the tournament hits.’

Atlas felt his jaw tighten slightly.

’If Class 5D gets to watch us fight under pressure today, they can easily catalog our beasts, measure our movement patterns, analyze our team synergy, and map out individual weaknesses. Damn it. If that’s their game, we’re basically handing them a free tactical breakdown on a silver platter.’

Eric pushed his glasses higher up his nose, ignorant of Atlas’s internal deduction.

"Well, from what I’ve gathered, Class 5D’s top rankers are vastly superior in raw power. Unless your group has a serious ace hidden up their sleeve, the odds are heavily stacked against you."

Atlas turned around with a faint, faint smile. "There’s always luck. We’ll see how the dice roll." He gestured toward the door. "Are you coming to watch?"

"Yeah, most likely," Eric said, closing his heavy textbook and setting it neatly on his nightstand. "It’ll be a welcome break from staring at medical diagrams all morning."

Atlas chuckled, his gaze shifting toward the silent mound on the opposite bed. "What about you, Claus?"

Claus offered no response whatsoever.

Atlas stared at him for two seconds before shrugging.

"Never mind." Seeing no sign of Derrick anywhere in the hallway either, he stopped looking and made his way out of the dormitory toward the academy’s central grounds.

The grand auditorium stood positioned behind the main academic complex, sprawling toward the western wing of the campus.

From the exterior, its pale ash-stone walls and tall arched windows looked deceptively modest compared to the towering spires surrounding it.

However, the moment Atlas stepped past the towering oak entrance doors, the staggering scale of the colosseum revealed itself.

The interior formed a massive, circular stone amphitheater. Concentric tiers of carved seating rose sharply toward a gigantic circular skylight set into the center of the domed roof.

Beams of brilliant morning sunlight poured down through the open oculus, illuminating faint dust motes drifting across the vast, open space below.

The architectural style was a striking blend of ancient craftsmanship and refined magical engineering. Massive stone pillars supported delicate upper balconies, while reinforced arched ribs swept cleanly overhead.

The acoustic design was so precise that even the quietest murmur from the floor below echoed softly up to the highest rows.

Today, however, the venue was far from quiet.

The auditorium was packed to near capacity.

Students sat shoulder to shoulder across the rising stone benches, filling almost every square foot of space.

Some leaned far over the railings in anticipation, while others stood along the upper walkways, craning their necks to get a clear line of sight.

Groups from every department filled the stands, their overlapping chatter creating an overwhelming roar of ambient noise.

Yet, at the absolute center of it all, the dueling platform remained pristine and empty.

A vast, circular arena of smooth, white stone formed the heart of the colosseum, marked only by a thin, luminous boundary ring carved into the floor.

There were no obstacles, no artificial terrain features, and no cover — just an open, unforgiving stage built for direct combat.

Atlas paused at the threshold, immediately feeling the invisible weight of hundreds of eyes scanning the floor.

"Whoa..." he muttered softly under his breath.

Behind him, Eric adjusted his glasses, taking in the sheer density of the crowd, while Claus trudged along in their wake with his usual half-dead slouch.

Atlas climbed a few tiers of steps until he reached an elevated vantage point to scan the surrounding entrances. ’Where is everyone?’

His eyes swept the lower holding areas. There was no sign of Seraphine, no sight of Mr. Crosswell, and no indication of their second official fighter.

"Aren’t you supposed to be down in the competitor staging area?" Eric asked, raising an eyebrow. "You can’t sit in the spectator section once the match is called."

"I know," Atlas replied, keeping his eyes moving across the ground level. "Just checking the board."

"Checking what?"

"Nothing." Atlas turned on his heel and headed back down the stone steps. "Catch you guys after."

Eric offered a brief wave while Claus offered only a tired nod.

As Atlas approached the reinforced corridors reserved for competitors, a sharp, amplified voice suddenly boomed across the auditorium.

A stout staff member stepped onto the raised edge of the arena holding a specialized sound-amplification artifact.

He tapped the device twice, sending a resonant thrum through the air that brought the roaring crowd down to an expectant hush.

"Students of Linux Academy!" the announcer declared, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling. "Welcome to today’s sanctioned inter-class duel!"

A wave of deafening cheers erupted from the stands.

"Today’s contest features two rising teams from the Beastmaster Department!" The announcer raised his arms, waiting for the applause to hit its peak.

"Representing Class 5E..."

The crowd roared in approval.

"...Rex!"

Atlas reached the heavy iron doors of the preparation room just as the announcer continued his introduction.

"And representing Class 5D..."

The noise level spiked dramatically, dominated by the chant of the higher-ranked classes.

"...Jason!"

Atlas pushed through the entrance. Inside, Rex was making final adjustments to his leather chest guard, his broad shoulders tense with kinetic energy.

Mr. Crosswell stood beside him, checking the latches on his shoulder pauldrons and inspecting his uniform.

"Ah, Atlas," Mr. Crosswell noted over his shoulder. "For a second there, I thought you’d gotten lost in the crowd."

"Sorry about that, sir," Atlas said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just sizing up the atmosphere."

"No harm done." Mr. Crosswell stepped back from Rex, giving Atlas a calm, measured look. "Just remember what we practiced. Give it your all out there, but keep your head cool. This is a sanctioned duel, not a life-or-death battle."

Atlas nodded firmly. "Understood, sir." His eyes shifted to his classmate. "You’re taking the opening match, Rex?"

"You’re damn right I am!" Rex barked loudly, spinning around with a wild grin.

Atlas raised an eyebrow. "Is the shouting really necessary?"

"I’m pumped!" Rex slammed his fist into his open palm, his eyes burning with intense crimson light. "I’ve been waiting all week to smash those Class 5D snobs into the dirt!"

Beside him, his heavy-armored ram let out a low growl, pawing its iron-hard hooves against the stone floor, leaving faint white scratches in the masonry.

Mr. Crosswell pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a tired sigh.

"Yes, he’s taking the opening round. I’ve drilled him as much as possible on impulse control, but keeping him grounded is going to be your job on the sidelines."

Rex scoffed, rolling his shoulders. "I have complete control over myself, coach."

Mr. Crosswell stared at him flatly. "You almost headbutted a solid iron training dummy yesterday because you claimed it was ’looking at you sideways.’"

"...That dummy had an attitude," Rex muttered, looking away.

Atlas bit back a chuckle.

"Just stay focused," Mr. Crosswell warned gently as the announcer’s voice echoed through the heavy door once again.

"And now... I call upon Rex of Class 5E and Jason of Class 5D to take the stage!"

Rex’s expression hardened instantly. His playful bravado vanished, replaced by a fierce, battle-ready intensity.

Beside him, the armored ram lowered its head, its massive, spiraling horns gleaming under the overhead lights.

Atlas watched silently as Rex marched toward the archway leading out to the main floor. The moment he crossed the threshold, a wall of sound hit the room as the crowd went wild.

Mr. Crosswell rested a heavy hand on Atlas’s shoulder, his tone dropping into something far more serious. "Watch every single second of this match, Atlas."

Atlas glanced up at his instructor.

"Because this isn’t just Rex’s fight," Mr. Crosswell said, his sharp eyes fixed on the arena floor. "This is your battle, too. Study Jason’s movements, analyze his beast’s habits, and break down his rhythm before you ever step foot onto that stone."

Atlas turned his head back toward the blinding sunlight pouring through the arena archway.

Out on the pale stone platform, Rex was already taking his stance.

"Because this isn’t just Rex’s fight," Mr. Crosswell said, his sharp eyes fixed on the arena floor.

"This is your battle, too. Study Jason’s movements, analyze his beast’s habits, and break down his rhythm before you ever step foot onto that stone."

Atlas turned his head back toward the blinding sunlight pouring through the arena archway.

Out on the pale stone platform, Rex was already taking his stance.

Emerging from the opposite entrance was his opponent — a taller, sharp-featured Class 5D student named Jason, who carried himself with absolute confidence.

Atlas narrowed his eyes, folding his arms across his chest as the arena gate hummed with raw energy.

’So that’s our first hurdle,’ Atlas thought, watching the two combatants face off under the roaring crowd.

’Let’s see what Class 5D is really made of....’