Inhuman Strength

The news had reached Mr. Augustin already, and he was walking briskly toward Arthur.

Arthur stood there without a trace of fear.

"You're telling me you plowed all this land on your own?" Mr. Augustin's voice dripped with disbelief.

"Yes, these workers saw me do it. Now, can I have my payment?" Arthur asked, his tone calm and steady.

"How did you manage this?" Mr. Augustin's suspicion grew with each passing moment.

"I told you already that my strength has increased in the last few days. It happened after my awakening ceremony. Although I failed to awaken an element, it seems to have changed my physique, increasing my strength and endurance severalfold." Arthur's explanation was delivered as though it were entirely natural.

Augustin and the others exchanged uneasy glances. They were not convinced, but there was no other explanation that made sense. Though he suspected the boy had stumbled upon some extraordinary lucky chance, he had no way to verify it.

He grudgingly handed over 15 bronze coins to Arthur—10 as standard pay and 5 as promised for the extra work. Arthur sighed in relief as he felt the weight of the coins in his hand.

Thank the Sun I managed to come up with a believable explanation, he thought, his heart still racing.

If I had faltered, this could have turned into a disaster. Resolving to be more cautious in the future, Arthur tucked the coins safely into his pocket, knowing full well that any further suspicion could lead to serious trouble.

The money wasn't a significant loss, but his curiosity was piqued, and his determination to uncover Arthur's secret only grew.

"Follow him secretly and find out what he's hiding," Mr. Augustin instructed one of his men, his voice low but firm.

That evening, Arthur reached the training ground, preparing to run. The air was cool, and the faint rustling of leaves filled the stillness. As he was about to start, a voice emerged from the shadows.

"You've attracted quite the attention. I didn't expect you to show off despite my warning."

Arthur froze mid-step, turning toward the source of the voice. His eyes widened as the figure stepped into the light.

"He... Headmaster?" Arthur stammered, utterly shocked to see his school's headmaster as the mysterious trainer.

The headmaster's expression softened slightly. "Arthur, if anyone begins to question your recent actions or strength, direct them to me. I'll handle their doubts. Focus only on your training and nothing else."

Arthur nodded gratefully.

After addressing the immediate situation, he started to educate Arthur earnestly on the warrior training. "There are a few basic physical attributes necessary for a good warrior—endurance, strength, speed, and perception. We already know your endurance is impressive. Today, we will test your strength. However, because we have guests, we'll save your endurance test for later. We can't have you running more than 100 rounds in front of them."

Without waiting for a response, the headmaster began placing a series of cubic blocks on the ground. The blocks appeared out of thin air, their surfaces smooth and seemingly made of dense rock. Ten blocks were laid out side by side.

"Start with the first block. Lift it above your head, then slowly place it back on the ground," the headmaster instructed.

Arthur approached the first block and lifted it effortlessly above his head before gently lowering it to the ground. It felt only slightly heavier than the hoe he had used earlier that morning.

He moved on to the second block, then the third, and the fourth, each heavier than the last. By the fifth block, his progress slowed. He managed to lift it to his chest before his arms trembled and he had to drop it.

The headmaster observed, his expression neutral, though his thoughts were anything but calm. This boy... How is this possible?

Unbeknownst to Arthur, the weights started at 50 kilos— a little less than double his own body weight—and increased in increments of 10 kilos, and the fifth block was 20 kilos heavier than the fourth. The fifth block, which Arthur could lift to his chest, weighed a staggering 100 kilos.

100 kilos!

For comparison, an awakened Elemental neophyte nearly saturated with Earth elemental energy could barely lift a 100 kilos. And yet, Arthur had failed his awakening.

Fortunately, the visitors had no knowledge of the blocks' weight. To them, it seemed like a routine exercise. The uniform size of the blocks and Arthur's ability to wrap his arms around them hid their true density.

The headmaster finally spoke, his tone steady but laced with intrigue. "Strength is only a basic physical attribute. How you utilize it matters far more."

Stepping forward, he stood in front of the heaviest block—a 500 kilo behemoth. Though it was the same size as the others, its density made it ten times heavier.

"Watch closely," the headmaster instructed.

He bent slightly, planting his feet firmly on the ground. His right arm drew back, tension radiating through his body like a coiled spring. In one explosive motion, he released the energy, his fist striking the block with incredible force.

"Twanggg!"

"Bang!"

The block shattered into a cloud of fine dust, the fragments dispersing into the night breeze. Not a single pebble remained.

Arthur stood frozen, his mouth agape as the scene replayed in his mind over and over. The sheer precision and power left him speechless.

"Do you want to see it a second time?" the headmaster offered, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Arthur hesitated, his pride preventing him from asking. If he requested a repeat, it might imply he hadn't been paying attention or lacked the ability to remember. Instead, he responded with measured respect.

"No. I've memorized the move. I'll work on understanding its mysteries. If I fail, I'll ask for your guidance again."

The headmaster's smile grew slightly wider. He's observant and determined. Good.

"Very well. Your training resumes tomorrow."

Arthur nodded, determination blazing in his eyes as he silently vowed to uncover the secrets of the headmaster's strength.