Training or Torture?

Chapter 18

'Huff …. Huff …" Kevin was running on the field, huffing and panting. It turned out that running on the three-time gravitational field was not as easy as it sounded.

The first few laps were doable, but then he started a little tired halfway through, thinking that he would be able to push through he kept going only to be depleted completely by the seventh lap.

He was doing a lot better than the others who were still on their fifth lap and from their looks, it didn't seem like they would be able to run another lap.

But that didn't mean he was doing any better. He was just ahead of them but also equally tired.

[User is detected to be tired]

[Would you like to use 2 LE to restore your stamina?]

[Yes\No]

When it looked like he was about to be completely spent, a system message appeared before him. 'Well, that's convenient.' He thought while thinking 'Yes'.

Refreshing energy coursed through him right that instant. With renewed vigor he started running again but only slower this time as he had no explanation for how he recovered his energy.

He completed his tenth lap by the time the others were still at their sixth laps, almost as if they were crawling. Sarah and Nathan who were ahead of everyone, almost seemed as if they were walking but Sarah's expression still remained the same even though she was also breathing laboriously.

Watching from the sidelines, Benny and Haylee looked at each other. The reason was that the state of the others was something they expected. They knew that no one would be able to complete the run for today, even completing half would be a miracle.

The state of the others was normal, what puzzled them or astonished would be the correct them was that Kevin had completed the run. Something that was deemed to be impossible.

"It seems like I will have to reconsider having a talk with the director about him," Benny said while Haylee remained unresponsive but kept looking at him.

[LE 33\35]

'It seems I have discovered a use of the energy, just I don't know if this is the only use for it other than using skills, which I still don't have any. Do I have to increase my level for that? Or would shop be the answer for it?' he thought while drying himself with a towel.

Even with restoring stamina, he was still tired enough after running three laps. His physical exhaustion was restored but not his mental exhaustion, though he had to admit that even after such extensive exercise, he was not that mentally tired, an effect he concluded to be associated with his INT stat.

After completing his run and receiving no further instructions, he sat outside of the field where the gravitational increase was not in effect.

Out of forty-nine students, only three were still going on, the rest lying on the field exhausted or passed out.

Nathan, Sarah, and surprisingly Steven were the ones still going on, but Kevin suspected they would not be able to go for long as it seemed like they were also on the verge of passing out.

He suspected correctly as Steven dropped on the track, passed out or not, he couldn't tell. Sarah followed after a few seconds. Nathan was the only one still going on but not for long.

All in all, Nathan and Sarah were on their seventh lap while Steven was about to reach the mark for sixth before he passed out. The rest were mostly at their fifth were some were still at their fourth lap.

There were no other exercises after that as Benny allowed them to rest, and once everyone was able to listen to him, "Well, how should I say this? Disappointing would be praise for your performance." He insulted them. A speech he had most definitely prepared beforehand.

After insulting all of them a bit more, he dismissed them as it was now lunchtime. He didn't say anything about Kevin's performance, nor any words of praise left his mouth.

But that didn't mean no one else knew that. They all saw him completing the full course. Some were astonished, some changed their view about him, while some thought that having stamina in a fight without any ability was not a big deal.

There were some who changed their view for the worse. Steven for example. He was the one who had called him a defect, but he couldn't even complete six laps.

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"Ugh ... Why did those monsters have to put us through hell on our first day?" Elizabeth complained next to Kevin. It was lunchtime and they were joined by Sarah and Sasha.

"Here eat this, it will help," Kevin said passing half of his portion of the meat to Elizabeth.

"Wow! You two sure are friendly." Sasha stated. Even with her body aching, her cute demeanor was not gone in the least.

Kevin chose to ignore that remark, while Elizabeth didn't have any energy to reply. Sarah's mood changed a bit seeing Kevin showing care for Elizabeth, but she also chose to say nothing.

"You." Elizabeth said suddenly, "How did you do it?"

"Unlike you, I dedicate my time only to physical activity. It is amazing that you were able to run that much considering how much time you have to focus on your ability training." Kevin replied to Elizabeth's vague question softly.

"That must be it." Which worked wonders as Elizabeth dropped the issue without pushing it. The same was not the case for Sarah and Sasha who knew that even if they had given all their time to physical training, they still wouldn't have been able to complete the run.

Finishing his lunch Kevin stood up. "There is still a lot of time until lunch break ends. You, finish it and come to my room." Kevin said to Elizabeth and walked away without giving Elizabeth a chance to ask why.

But he didn't have to because, in two minutes, Elizabeth gulped down her lunch and followed him.

Elizabeth entered Kevin's room without knocking and saw him sitting on his chair.

"Lie down face first," Kevin said simply.

"Why?" She asked but still complied.

"I'm going to give you a massage to loosen your muscles. It's good after an extensive exercise." Kevin replied.

"Ooh... am I getting my personal masseuse?" She said playfully while relaxing on his bed.

"Yeah! And you know what's the best part? You don't even have to pay for it." Kevin said, his tone equally playful.

"That is the best part," Elizabeth said before getting ready.

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