Was it an unexpected Running Format or support?

Everyone lined up after gathering in line, and slowly they positioned their feet towards the line. As I prepared to get into a running stance, I took a moment to breathe a bit more and slowly settled into position. There was no weight or any breath-restricting force this time. As my hand moved towards the tip of my foot, it brushed lightly against the girl next to me.

When I slowly turned my head to observe the girl, I saw that it was Alice. Oh, something that had even appeared in my dreams had come true. Alice slowly glanced at me and immediately turned her head away. The tropical fruit-scented perfume wafted towards me. I, on the other hand, smelled of sweat. Well, considering the expensive price of long-lasting perfumes nowadays, I'd rather spend my money on food. Alice turning her head left a big question mark in my mind, and my inner voice kept rambling that I had embarrassed myself. I used the breathing technique Aunt Karen taught me. This technique was a yoga practice designed for the flexibility of the prostitutes in the 'Boxes', but the breathing technique really helped me relax. I guess it's not fair to assume that prostitutes don't care; everyone must feel uneasy before intercourse. I wonder if our old lady is like that too, I'm not sure.

Before I could think any further, the teacher called out.

Minerva S.: "Everyone prepare yourselves, the run will be fifty laps, and the first one to finish will secure 100 points. There will be the use of swords in the run, and there won't be a fixed line to follow. You can fight each other. If a student attacks a friend despite the nanobot warning, they will be disqualified and will have to wait for the next year. AND I AM COUNTING, 3... 2... 1... START!!!"

Without any break given to discuss the procedure, the race started, and I quickly began running. I didn't draw my rapier immediately and, thanks to the advantage of warming up earlier, I shot forward like an arrow from a bow. Alice was immediately behind me, following closely. After that, Nathaniel, one of the scholarship holders, followed, and behind him, Augustus and other friends were overpowering others in their path. Fifty laps were decent for a regular run, but once battles were involved, fifty laps felt like five hundred. I was familiar with the procedure from previous years, but this format changed every year with creative modifications. For example, last year's run was conducted with restrictions and drones, which were used instead of the regular terrain.

By the time I completed the first lap, about five minutes had passed, and the fatigue I had previously felt started to resurface. In the current rankings, I was in first place, and it seemed that Alice was also in the lead.

Nathaniel had lost his position to Augustus because he had been attacked by Augustus's 'Hand Rune.'

Behind us, there were unfamiliar but familiar faces.

I continued running and soon picked up on some clues from Alice's hand movements. She was preparing to draw her weapon but was waiting for the right moment, likely waiting for a slight turn to strike me, which was clever. As I approached the corner, Alice's hand didn't move. "Well done," I said, and quickly drew my rapier. Alice's face didn't change, as though she had expected this move, and she reached for her swords. Just as I was about to strike her Achilles with my rapier, she blocked it with a steel counter, pulling out her parry dagger. The sudden block of my strike shook me a little, and a shiver ran down my spine. But this move only pushed me a few steps back. Alice quickly unsheathed her greatsword, and I could feel the danger. I immediately slowed down and fell back a bit. Alice didn't stop her attack and swung her sword into the air. The effect of her 'Hand Rune' was active, but it didn't seem to work against me. Although I couldn't understand why, I didn't dwell on it. Her sword missed me, but it grazed my stomach, causing a small cut. I didn't pay much attention to the wound; it was just a superficial scratch, and the bleeding wasn't much. So, without falling back, I quickly followed her.

Before Augustus could pass us, I made a dash and quickly caught up to Alice, attempting to strike her again. Once again, she parried and swung her sword casually. Since my sword wasn't likely to block it, I adjusted my sword to a 32-degree angle and allowed it to slide off hers.

Alice didn't lose her balance, but her sword was pushed off to an unnecessary direction, giving me a brief window of opportunity. I immediately stabbed my sword towards her arm. And yes, my first strike was successful—really successful, as I had stabbed her hand, the one holding the greatsword. She wouldn't be able to gather as much strength now. However, I didn't let this success fool me, and I was about to strike again when Alice, with more force than before, swung her sword.

It's strange, but at that moment, I felt death approaching. This sword could kill me; even though it was a training session, it would crush me. Suddenly, it felt like the world slowed down, and I found myself in a state of heightened adrenaline. All the fatigue in my body vanished in an instant. My mind was racing, constantly calculating. Her sword was coming at me from a perfect angle, leaving no room to escape. Even if I slowed down, my deceleration wouldn't be fast enough to avoid the impact. There was no time to think, and as the sword approached me, I didn't do anything—I just jumped. With the jump, I even surpassed Alice's height. It was an unexpected jump. Alice's face was filled with shock. Without wasting any time, I landed and struck Alice's forehead with my rapier's scabbard. Alice was sent flying back, and I gained the advantage. Without waiting for the adrenaline to wear off, I sprinted at full speed, putting 300 meters between me and Alice. The current rankings were: 1st: Me, 2nd: Augustus, 3rd: Alice, 4th: Nathaniel, and the rest didn't matter.

About three laps later, the gap between us closed, and there were only about 7 or 8 meters between everyone. Augustus was slowly catching up to me, and I feared this moment. After provoking him this morning, he was probably angry, and the teacher had given him the perfect opportunity to beat me without any penalty. Those observing Augustus and his friends would notice that the 'Hand Runes' on them were glowing, but due to my limited view, I couldn't see Augustus. Suddenly, they accelerated and closed the distance. Augustus reached me and started speaking.

"To be honest, I don't know what Alice sees in you. If she had any requests, I'd make sure you wish you were dead, and you'd probably commit suicide in that shitty shack of yours, and the world would be rid of another useless piece of trash."

Requests???? Was he making a request? But why? He hadn't even asked for my name. If he had, maybe we could have come to some sort of understanding. Augustus's provocations had reached their peak. I quickly attempted to stab my rapier into Augustus's heart, but thanks to his 'Hand Rune,' he stopped me. A wild grin appeared on his face as he punched me hard in the face with his right hand. My vision dimmed slightly, and everything around me seemed to slow down. I needed to regain my senses, but that seemed unlikely. However, I wasn't going to give up. With my last bit of strength, I tightly squeezed my eyes shut and opened them. The slight pain brought me back to my senses, and I could clearly feel the strength of the punch I had taken. It felt as if my face was frozen from the cold, and an unbearable pain spread through me. The intensity of the pain was evident in my breathing.

Augustus immediately shouted at me.

"I'm not like Alice. I don't show mercy. When we get out of here, you're going to regret this. You won't be able to escape," he said.

Hearing this, Alice started shouting at Augustus. There was a hint of concern on her face, but I couldn't think about that because my ear was ringing in a way I'd never heard before.

I thought to myself that I had lost the race and was about to give up when...

Nathaniel quickly grabbed my arm and started supporting me.