Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start Chapter 216 CHAPTER 217 - Opening Match 1

A deep voice echoed through the Colosseum.

"Ti's up! The thirty standing participants have been declared victorious!"

The dust settled over the battlefield as the first match concluded with those words.

The once chaotic arena was now littered with unconscious bodies, groaning students, and shattered weapons.

The golden rune in the center pulsed once before fading, signaling the end of the battle royale.

A massive screen materialized above the arena, listing the nas of those who had made it through.

As expected, Mira and Brisk were among them—two nas that carried weight even before this event. They had dominated, their battles leaving little room for doubt.

However, what drew murmurs from the crowd were a few unexpected nas.

Keryu Ivanovich and Ben Dover, two students whose reputations had been questionable, had secured their spots with sheer skill.

They were strong; people knew that, but still, recalling how they were disqualified during the election competition, they didn't leave a good impression.

But now, people were forced to reassess their previous opinions, though many still viewed them with skepticism.

"Tch. No way those guys are actually that strong," a student muttered.

"Yeah, they probably got lucky. Let's see how long they last in the next rounds."

Well, they were the novel's protagonists, so their being underestimated was not uncalled for.

Of course, not all winners had fought.

So had taken a different approach—leading instead of engaging. Damian was one of them, and it was a valid strategy. The competition wasn't just about brute strength but also intelligence and tactics.

Even so, with the first round over, attention quickly shifted to the next event.

Unlike the first-year battle royale, this was a one-on-one duel, but the anticipation wasn't as high.

The second-year batch had long been overshadowed by the monstrous third-year and the rising stars of the first-year students.

"They're kinda irrelevant, aren't they?" A student in the stands mumbled.

"Yeah, there's no one famous among them," another agreed, relaxing in his seat, not expecting much from this match.

But that assumption was about to be shattered.

As the two fighters stepped onto the field, one imdiately dominated. His movents were precise and brutal—his strength overwhelming.

Within monts, he forced his opponent onto the back foot, launching relentless attacks.

The crowd, initially disinterested, sat up.

"What the hell? Who is this guy?"

"I don't rember seeing him in any major competitions before!"

The answer ca soon enough.

His opponent, bruised and struggling, barely had ti to react before a bestial growl filled the air. In an instant, the dominant fighter's body shifted—claws extending, muscles swelling, and fangs bared. A powerful aura exploded around him.

"A... A werewolf?!"

And not just any werewolf—a royal one. It was clear by how he had shiny gray-colored fur.

But the mont the realization dawned, the match was already over.

With one final, devastating strike, he ended it, leaving the arena even before the referee could announce the result. The second-year students may have been ignored, but this fight made one thing clear: they still had monsters among them.

It was just that those monsters weren't interested in anything until now.

But the excitent was short-lived. Because the real event was finally here.

The illusionary board shifted, displaying the next match.

[Third-Year Opening Match

Alex Drakathor vs. Leon Walker.]

The Colosseum went silent for a mont.

Then, an explosion of noise.

"IT'S ALEX'S MATCH!"

"Wait, he's actually here, right? Right?!"

"He HAS to be here! There's no way he'd miss this!"

"But what if he isn't coming?"

The last line made the audience go silent again.

They didn't know the reason—no one did—but everyone knew that Alex hadn't been seen for a while. He had disappeared right after Lucian's threat was announced.

'Was he scared?' Many had that thought, but they couldn't believe it since Alex's didn't seem that type to them.

However, if he were to miss today's match, there would be no denying it. People wouldn't have a choice but to believe it.

All eyes turned toward the arena entrance. Waiting for Alex to arrive.

But all they saw was the one who was supposed to be fighting him enter the arena.

He was a guy with flowing red hair and bright orange eyes, his expression arrogant as if he were the ruler of the world.

That guy was the vice president of the Berserker Club, Leon Walker.

'I can finally fight him,' he thought with his fists clenched in excitent.

Alex was called the strongest among the third-year students, but Leon couldn't accept it. After all, he had never fought with Alex—because Alex was the vice president of the student council.

But today, there was no need to worry about those things, making Leon quite excited about the match.

He didn't care about the murmurs and rumors about Alex disappearing or running away, as he felt that Alex wasn't that type of guy—his gut told him that.

All he could do right now was wait for Alex to co here as he was supposed to.

....................

Three minutes later.

Silence stretched over the Colosseum.

The buzzing excitent from monts ago had vanished, replaced by a tense, suffocating stillness. The illusionary board still displayed the nas of the fighters, but only one stood in the arena.

Leon Walker stood tall, his arms crossed, waiting for his competitor, who was nowhere to be seen.

The announcer's voice echoed again.

"Alex Drakathor, report to the arena imdiately."

Nothing. No response.

Another call.

Still nothing.

Murmurs started to spread through the stands.

"Is he really not coming?"

"No way... he wouldn't actually run, right?"

Leon's patience thinned as well.

His grip on his gauntlets tightened, his irritation clear.

He had been waiting for this fight for too long. Too many tis, he had heard Alex's na praised, yet never had the chance to test him in battle. And now, when he finally had that chance—Alex wasn't even here?

His frustration boiled over.

Leon was here hoping for a good match. He thought that Alex wouldn't turn out to be a coward, but he couldn't believe what was happening right now.

He took a step forward, his voice booming across the arena.

"Alex! Are you seriously hiding right now?" His fiery gaze swept the stadium as if expecting his opponent to appear from the shadows.

No response.

Leon scoffed. "All that reputation, all those rumors about your strength—and you're too scared to show up?" His tone dripped with mockery. "Are you really just a coward after all?"

The tension in the air thickened. Even the audience, many of whom idolized Alex, felt a sense of unease.

Leon continued, his voice filled with barely restrained anger. "If you're worried about losing your image, then get down here and fight ! Otherwise, I guess all those stories were just—"

"What the hell are you on about?"

The voice cut through the arena like a blade, sharp and unimpressed.

Gasps rippled through the stands.

Leon's body tensed as he felt a presence behind him.

Slowly, he turned.

There, standing lazily with his hands in his pockets, was Alex Drakathor. His black uniform was slightly disheveled, his posture completely relaxed as if he had just woken up from a nap.

His expression held mild annoyance, but there was an unmistakable smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Relax, man," Alex drawled, stretching his arms. "One's allowed to oversleep sotis."

The Colosseum erupted.