"I challenge Howard!"
Almost immediately after Jack's words faded, Maithus, who had been previously defeated by Howard's group, leaped forward, his eyes burning with hostility towards Howard.
Upon hearing this, a smile emerged on Howard's face.
He hadn't expected someone to actually dare challenge him.
"Excellent," Jack grinned, "I always admire students with guts. If you succeed in your challenge, I'll grant you an extra reward!"
"Come now, Howard," Jack's gaze shifted back to him, "someone's thrown down the gauntlet. Don't disappoint me."
All eyes turned to Howard and Maithus, and whispers rippled through the crowd. "That's Maithus, isn't he? The one who also awakened an S-level talent?"
"Anyone who dares to challenge Howard must be an expert."
"Honestly, I'm quite curious about Howard's actual combat strength."
"If he can defeat Maithus, he'll essentially top our cohort."