The two stepped onto the arena, and the crowd immediately showered them with hate comments and negativity. It seemed they didn't like the fact that a human was competing in the contest.
Also, Astren hadn't displayed his true appearance, which also got on the nerves of a few people in the audience. If they were rooting for someone, the crowd needed to know how powerful they were, and from which species they belonged to.
Again, this was the root of speciesism.
However, both Jacob and Astren were in no position to retort. They didn't mind either, since they simply ignored the crowd and stared at each other, unwilling to be the first ones to attack. Their showdown, although not physical, summoned a tremendous pressure. The two suffered from a weight on their shoulders simply by staring at each other.
It was a mental battle; one that involved overwhelming the other using solely one's gaze. It was quite abstract, but seemed to work for both Astren and Jacob.