Despite the strange quarrel, the boys participating in the Hell Marathon were connected at even intervals by a single rope.
As I muttered to myself, "This is just like prisoners," Mr. Nickbacca stood imposingly right next to me with the rope tied to him.
The moment our eyes met, he started picking on me again.
"You've got a face that says 'The teacher is participating too!?' you celebrity kid!"
"No, not really."
I told the truth, but it seemed to rub him the wrong way.
Mr. Nickbacca leaned his face in close and whispered threateningly in a low voice.
"You really humiliated me in the last physical education class. I went easy on you back then, so don't get cocky. I'm not just good at fighting. I'm also good at endurance running. I wonder if you can keep up with this army-trained marathon?"
"Well, I'll do my best."
"You won't be able to act so relaxed for much longer!"
Mr. Nickbacca raised his head and shouted toward the students all across the schoolyard.
"All right, we're starting the Hell Marathon! This Hell Marathon has no set course! Once we leave the schoolyard, we just keep running north until the last person gives up! Students who are not participating are free to do whatever they want! And as for the participants, have you finished your warm-up? Line up at the starting line!"
We lined up in front of the white line drawn in the middle of the schoolyard, with Mr. Nickbacca at the center.
"After my signal, put in your earplugs while you run! Here we go! Hell Marathon, start!"
Before the declaration even finished, Mr. Nickbacca took off with heavy, surprise-attack-like stomps.
I followed after him and put in my earplugs.
Right before the sound was cut off, jeers flew my way.
"Aaah, that trash guy is seriously done for this time."
"Yeah, all the selected members were in the track club back in middle school, right?"
"If you try to keep up with their pace, you'll get exhausted in no time and get dragged along!"
"He's gonna get torn up like actual trash! This is gonna be fun!"
Their vulgar laughter almost polluted my eardrums, but bright cheers washed it clean.
"Do your best, Leo-kun!" "We pray for your good fight, Master!"
I waved back at the two of them, then remembered something and made my preparations.
I activated the "Skillful Job Change" skill from "Jack of All Trades" and changed to a job that seemed good at running.
I also activated the "Skillful Body" skill to secure the status needed for a marathon.
Leopin
Job: Woodworker → Ninja
LV 16
HP 2010 → 1010
MP 2010 → 1010
Status
Life 201 → 101
Endurance 201 → 1001
Toughness 201 → 101
Spirit 201 → 101
Resistance 201 → 101
Agility 201 → 1001
Focus 201 → 101
Strength 201 → 101
Magic Power 201 → 101
Divine Power 201 → 101
Intelligence 201 → 101
Education 201 → 101
Five Senses 201 → 101
Sixth Sense 201 → 101
Charm 1
Luck 5
Dexterity 700 → 300
For now, having Endurance and Agility at 1000 should be plenty.
By the time I noticed, the lead group had already left the academy grounds, and I was at the very back.
Right in front of me were the boys pulling me along hard, like dogs in a sled team.
Every one of them occasionally glanced back and sent me hostile glares that seemed to say "Just watch."
"Hey, is it okay to go so fast right from the start?"
Leopin threw out those words, but since everyone was wearing earplugs, the voice should not have reached anyone.
The students in the lead group muttered these resentful complaints to themselves and turned them into running power.
"Damn that trash guy. You can act all relaxed for now."
"Of all people, treating Lady Monaka and Lady Kotone like assistants."
"How envi... no, how outrageous."
"At this point, we'll drag that dropout trash around from the early stages."
"Then we'll show his completely wrecked appearance to Lady Monaka and Lady Kotone."
"After that, those two are sure to lose interest in him."
"Just watch, you trash. Running is the one thing I'm good at."
Leopin was not particularly good at marathons, but the other participating athletes had been carefully selected, so they all had outstanding speed.
Thanks to that, the Hell Marathon started at a very high pace from the very beginning.
United in their desire to bring Leopin down, they kept sprinting at nearly full power.
However, even after running about 10 kilometers across the grassland and looking back, Leopin still had a cool expression.
They got fired up at that and increased the pace even more.
But even after 20 kilometers, 30 kilometers, 40 kilometers, Leopin followed along without breaking a sweat or changing his expression.
On the other hand, the boys were drenched in sweat, and every one of them wore a face of agony.
"Hah, hah, haaah. W-we've already run 40 kilometers?"
"So why does he still look completely fine?"
"Is that guy a monster?"
Mr. Nickbacca, who had been running at the front, turned around while sweat poured off him.
"No, he's just forcing himself! He must be in a lot of pain too!"
Even though they were supposed to be wearing earplugs, they communicated normally through conversation.
The reason for that was probably obvious by now.
"Everyone, keep it up! There's something special at the 50-kilometer point! Then it'll be heaven for us and hell for that guy!"
And so the Hell Marathon reached the 50-kilometer point.
There stood a tent with a sign that read "Rest Area."
Inside the tent, the vice principal wearing an apron was waving them over, calling out in a falsely cheerful voice.
"Good work! Feel free to rest here!"
The students in the lead group dove into the shady tent and collapsed on top of one another.
The vice principal used the scissors in his hand to snip the rope connecting them to Leopin.
Leopin tried to enter last and catch his breath, but the vice principal blocked his way.
The vice principal said something, so Leopin removed his earplugs and listened.
"This area is off-limits to you, Leopin-kun! See, it's clearly written here!"
What the vice principal pointed to was the "Rest Area" sign.
In smaller letters below, it said "Students from the Special Training Class may not use this."
"Come on, go over there! You're disturbing the excellent students' rest! It will be good reflection for a dropout to suffer alone under the blazing sun!"
The vice principal shooed Leopin away, voice thick with satisfaction.
The students behind him, holding fans and cups of water, said with plenty of sarcasm,
"Aaah, this is the best! It feels just like heaven in here! Compared to this, outside is pure hell!"
"Aaah, how sad that you can't come to such a nice place!"
"Can't be helped since you're a dropout! That trash would probably burn up under sunlight like that!"
They laughed, openly pleased with themselves.
A loud trumpet fanfare blared from behind.
When Leopin turned around, it was a horse-drawn carriage.
Domanna-sensei sat in the driver's seat, cracking the reins.
As the carriage charged right up in front of Leopin, a bright voice called out, "Sorry to keep you waiting!"
The carriage slid sideways and came to a stop right beside him.
On the side of the carriage, a large sign read in big letters:
"Special Training Class Exclusive Rest Area"
The vice principal cried out in shock and jealousy. "What!?"