Everyone remained stunned for a very long while, the events still replaying in their mind before they all came back to their senses and all dispersed to complete their packing and prepare for the morning warm ups as ordered.
"What happened? What was he explaining, and why did everyone seem so panicked." Manuel asked.
Cheryl shook his head, still slightly shocked and annoyed that anyone could sleep through all that and not be bothered one bit about it.
'And here I thought I had issues.' He sighed, walking away, leaving Manuel's question unanswered.
"Come on, we have to prepare for our morning warm-ups. We have eighteen minutes left, so we don't get punished." He said to Manuel as he left the room.
Manuel soon followed up, with a continuous whisper of his thoughts.
"Aren't you meant to have your bath after the warm-up, not before the warm-up, though?" Manuel asked for the fourth time.
"I thought after asking that question four times in a row, your brain will actually figure it out, but I guess I wouldn't expect that from you now, would I?." He gritted his teeth, sparing him a brief glance before looking away.
"Well no, nothing of that sort happened, now could you explain it to me then?." He followed up, picking up a pair of sport boots and wearing them, seeing Cheryl putting them on.
*Sigh*
"It simply means get yourself ready for the morning warm ups by wearing your sports outfit and packing your needed items like water, sugar if needed, and other necessary items, not having your bath."
He pulled tight the lace of his shoe before knotting it into a rabbit ear, then placed his foot on the ground to check if it fits.
'Didn't even know they had prepared emergency sport gears, that means this happens every morning. I mean, it's fine until one day I have to sleep late because of class or a tough practical.'
Manuel did the same and completed his sports outfit, briefly forgetting to put on socks but shaded it off as normal.
Cheryl didn't bother himself with it and went on without him.
'Wait he didn't tell us where we're supposed to meet' he recalled.
He glanced and noticed students going through the passage way they went through the day before.
"Wait…we're going through that long route again?!! You've seriously got to be kidding me right now," he murmured to himself.
He quickly followed the line of students who went through the passage leading into another section of the academy.
This time, they didn't follow the straight corridor that led to the academy's assembly hall. Rather, they went through another corridor to a whole new environment he didn't know existed in the academy.
It led to a grassland that spawned to something equivalent to seventy hectares, or at least that's what he guessed.
It had different sports equipment and a large field in the centre of it all.
'Woah!, so this is where we'll be doing our morning workouts.' He gasped, staring at the large expanse of land with the multiple equipments placed on it.
'This is slightly hilariously unreal. This academy has more hidden areas than our house does. I wonder what else this academy must be hiding beneath all this.' He gave himself a silent thought.
"Good morning, students. I believe you all should be here by now, fully prepared with all your necessary items. Those coming late will be punished with extra labour since it's gone past the time assigned for your preparation." An older man stepped forward, with a deep tone.
"Mr Alan here must have explained to you the meaning of the 5 D's of success, so I don't find it necessary to repeat his words again." He continued with a brief interruption from the senior students.
At the start of the speech, senior students started trooping into the large field. It was slightly understandable since their dormitories were placed higher of farther away from the field.
So you couldn't necessarily blame them for interrupting at that very moment.
They were all allowed to finish entering and arranging themselves before he continued from where he stopped.
"So, from what I was saying before, I got interrupted. You all have been taught about the 5 D's of success and therefore understand what the academy plans to do with you younglings."
He stepped forward with a gesture of his hands to emphasise his point.
"As you all expect, yes. This activity happens every day, involving both the students and teachers to keep each healthy and active enough to self defend themself in times of trouble."
"And for you, it will help you synchronise with your abilities faster, especially when it involves you using your body. Knowingly or unknowingly, you'll be growing better every day and staying fit at the same time."
"We meet here everyday after the bell goes, you all have forty five minutes after that to gather here for your morning warm-ups and like I had already warned, those who miss will be severely punished no matter the reason, so please do well to adhere to the instruction."
"Before we continue, I'd like to introduce myself as Mr Christian. We might end up meeting each other if you sign up or require physical classes. Otherwise, we'll only meet here every morning."
Mr Christian glanced around the field for a while before he stared back at the students.
"Well as you can see, you've been provided with every tool and equipment necessary, but before you're allowed to use any of them. You first have to complete a hundred meter dash, pick one person from your class and another from the senior class to compete with"
"You have twenty-five minutes to decide and remember, you will continue competing with that person until you successfully beat that person, then you can go for someone stronger or better."
"After all, a healthy competition is good for the body and brain, should make you sit up, knowing you're weak when you see that individuals face."
"Goodluck in choosing your partner. You have twenty-five minutes, make it count."