The Mysterious Trainer

As the sun set, the birds flocked back to their nests in droves. The school premises were eerily quiet, save for the faint rustling of leaves in the cool evening breeze. The shadows grew longer as the twilight deepened, casting the old school grounds into an almost otherworldly stillness.

Arthur slowly walked toward the school grounds, his footsteps crunching softly against the gravel. The stillness heightened his sense of unease, and he scanned the area, waiting for some sign of the mysterious trainer. As the moments dragged on and darkness enveloped the grounds, he began to wonder if it had all been a hoax. He shifted on his feet, glancing around nervously, his patience wearing thin.

"Run fifty rounds around the school grounds for the next week. If you're unable to run, keep trying until you can. Of course, you can quit and go home too," a voice suddenly called from the shadows, deep and commanding.

Arthur froze, his heart pounding as his eyes darted through the darkness, trying to locate the source. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see anyone. The voice seemed to echo from nowhere and everywhere at once, sending a chill down his spine.

That was it? No introduction, no guidance, no explanation?

He stood there, confused and hesitant, his mind wrestling with whether to leave or comply. But then, the memory of the challenge he had issued earlier flashed vividly in his mind, igniting a spark of determination. With a resigned sigh, he began to run, his feet carrying him forward against the quiet backdrop of the night. The cool breeze brushed against his face, and the rhythmic sound of his own breathing filled his ears.

5 rounds…

10 rounds…

20 rounds…

When Arthur started running, he doubted he could even complete 20 rounds, let alone 50. He had barely prepared for such a test of endurance. But as he pushed himself forward, he felt his body adjust to the rhythm. Surprisingly, he completed 20 rounds without feeling utterly exhausted. His heartbeat was elevated, his muscles ached slightly, but he was far from spent. Encouraged by this unexpected stamina, he pressed on, determined to test his true limits.

30 rounds…

40 rounds…

45 rounds…

By the time he reached the last five laps, his breathing was heavy, and his legs burned with effort. The school grounds, now cloaked in deep shadows, seemed to stretch endlessly before him. 

But, he could still run.

48, 49, 50.

As he finished the 50th round, he bent over with his hands on his knees, gulping in mouthfuls of air. Confusion clouded his mind. Did I just run 50 rounds? That's close to 20 kilometers.

He had done it. He had just run 20 kilometers! A mixture of disbelief and exhilaration coursed through him. Something isn't right.

Hidden in the shadows, the mysterious trainer silently observed, his wide eyes betraying his surprise at Arthur's endurance. The trainer's expression shifted to one of curiosity, as if trying to puzzle out how someone so ordinary could exhibit such resilience.

"You can return to your home now. And don't mention today's events to anyone for your own safety," the voice said sharply before fading into the night, leaving Arthur with more questions than answers.

"This voice sounds familiar," Arthur thought, a flicker of curiosity sparking in his mind. "Have I met this mysterious trainer before?" He stood there momentarily dazed.

The next evening, Arthur returned to the school grounds. The voice greeted him again, this time with a harsher command. "75 rounds."

Arthur's face twitched. Is this trainer some kind of wild beast? But his curiosity about his own growing strength drove him to comply.

After surpassing 50 rounds, he noticed something extraordinary. His body felt even better than it had the night before. When he finished 75 rounds, he was tired but nowhere near his breaking point. It was as though his body was adapting, growing stronger with each challenge.

On the third evening, the command came again. "100 rounds."

Arthur started running without hesitation. By the time he completed 100 rounds, his chest was heaving, and he was gulping air. His muscles screamed in protest, but there was still a strange energy within him, pushing him forward.

He also noticed another change—his appetite had grown significantly. Over the past few days, no matter how much he ate, he felt ravenous. He didn't want to burden his mother, so he kept silent, but the thought of how to get more food lingered in his mind.

The next morning, he approached Mr. Augustin. "Can I try plowing the lands? My strength has improved recently, and I'd like to earn a bit extra."

"Eh! You want to plow the lands now? That hoe weighs almost half your weight. You'd be lucky to carry it upright!" Mr. Augustin said dismissively, assuming Arthur was joking.

Arthur walked over to the hoe, gripped it firmly, and swung it onto his shoulder with one hand, as though it were nothing more than a stick of wood. "Will you pay me the same amount as the others if I plow the same amount of land?" he asked, his tone steady.

Mr. Augustin's expression turned serious. "If you can plow the same amount of land as the others, I'll pay you 5 bronze coins extra. But what if you can't?"

"I'll work for free for a month," Arthur replied confidently.

The unexpected answer took Mr. Augustin by surprise. "So be it," he said, curious to see what would happen.

Arthur carried the hoe to an unirrigated plot of land. He lifted it high and brought it down with force. The soil cracked as the blade of the hoe buried itself into the ground. He worked steadily, his movements fluid and efficient.

When he finished, he turned around and was met with a row of astonished faces. The other workers stared at him as if he were some kind of monster.

He hadn't just lifted and wielded the heavy hoe with ease; he had also tilled the required amount of land in less time than any of them. What Arthur had thought was restraint—limiting himself to plow the same amount of land—had still revealed his inhuman speed.

As realization dawned, Arthur's stomach churned with anxiety. If he didn't come up with a plausible explanation, people might grow suspicious. They could even suspect he had stumbled upon a treasure, and that suspicion could bring trouble.

"Why do I keep getting into trouble!" he cried internally, already brainstorming ways to explain his extraordinary feats without inviting danger.