Luphar nodded slowly, a wide grin spreading across his face.
"Why not?" he said with clear excitement. "That sounds thrilling. It would be even better if the elves join as well."
He turned his head and looked toward Elarith, who stood calmly beside him.
"What do you think, Elarith? Are you willing to participate?"
Elarith closed her eyes briefly, considering the proposal. The early morning wind brushed against her braided hair, and her fingers lightly touched the wooden pendant hanging from her necklace. After a moment, she opened her eyes and nodded.
"Yes. We accept," she said evenly. "But who exactly will be racing?"
Her sharp gaze moved to Magnar.
"We are proposing a fair race," Magnar replied. "Only S rankers from each side. No more, no less. Does that work for you?"
Both Elarith and Luphar exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement.
"Luphar and I are the only S rankers representing our groups here," Elarith said. "So it will be just the two of us."
"That's perfect," Magnar answered without hesitation.
Roswayn stepped forward, her expression relaxed but curious.
"Our goal is simply to understand each other better," she said. "Numbers do not matter."
Luphar clapped his hands together loudly, unable to hide his enthusiasm.
"Great. Then it's settled. Six of us will race."
As word spread, excitement rippled through the rest of the students. Groups began forming on their own, pairing up for friendly rivalries or silent competitions. Some laughed confidently, while others looked tense, already imagining the pain awaiting them.
Nevil walked up to Ashan, holding two measurement bands. He handed one over.
"How about it?" Nevil asked. "Shall we race too? It will be more entertaining."
Ashan looked at the band, then at Nevil. A slow, almost disbelieving smile appeared on his face.
"Are you sure?" Ashan asked. "You know you will not win if you run with me."
Nevil laughed and lightly punched Ashan's shoulder.
"You think I believe I can beat you?" he said. "I do not even know your true limits. But I know I cannot match you. That is exactly why I want to race with you. I want you to be my goal. Running alone is boring."
Ashan paused, then nodded. He strapped the band onto his right arm.
"Alright," he said. "Then I will not hold back."
Students lined up along the track according to their ranks, spacing themselves apart. The tension in the air grew heavier with every second. Muscles tightened. Breathing slowed. Eyes focused forward.
Aren stepped into view and clapped his hands loudly.
"RUN!"
The moment the sound echoed, the six S rankers exploded forward. Their feet struck the ground with overwhelming force, instantly creating a massive gap between them and the rest.
The remaining students surged forward right after, each struggling to find their own rhythm.
Ashan glanced ahead, watching the S rankers pull away like arrows released from a bow.
'They are making sure everyone sees their dominance from the start,' he thought. 'Who will win among them? I already have a guess. Morevan.'
He shifted his attention to the runners around him.
"Around a quarter of these students will fail before reaching their target," he calculated. "Once I hit nine kilometers, that number will rise even more."
Ashan and Nevil ran side by side, maintaining a steady pace. They neither rushed nor lagged behind, conserving their strength while letting others burn themselves out.
Time passed. Sweat dripped. Breathing grew heavier.
Four kilometers.
Only C rankers and above remained.
Ashan glanced at Nevil. His clothes were soaked with sweat, his breathing uneven, yet his eyes showed no sign of surrender.
"Nevil," Ashan said calmly, "I am going to speed up. Can you keep up?"
Nevil smiled despite his exhaustion and nodded. He leaned forward, adjusting his posture, and pushed himself harder.
Together, they overtook exhausted B rankers one by one. Their footsteps grew sharper, faster. Soon, they reached six kilometers.
At that point, Ashan's body adjusted naturally. His posture shifted, his strides became smoother, more efficient. His movemastery reshaped every motion, allowing him to unleash terrifying speed with minimal wasted energy.
"This ability really is unfair," Ashan thought. "It feels like I was born to run."
He glanced at Nevil again. Nevil was clearly approaching his limit.
"I should finish this quickly," Ashan decided.
A translucent system window appeared before his eyes.
—----------------------------------------
Sub Mission..
Race with A rankers and S rankers. Challenge their speed and frustrate them.
Reward: Killer B's Seven Sword Style
—----------------------------------------
Ashan blinked.
"So now you want to expose me this early?" he muttered internally. "But that reward is tempting."
He looked at Nevil and nodded. Nevil returned the nod, understanding immediately.
In the next instant, Ashan vanished from Nevil's side.
His sudden acceleration sent shockwaves through the air. Within moments, he reached the A rankers ahead. He was the only B ranker running among them.
One of the A rankers glanced sideways, eyes widening.
"He caught up already?" another muttered. "He must be burning everything he has."
Eirena shifted closer to Ashan, studying him carefully as they ran.
"Impressive stamina," she said. "But why rush? You could finish comfortably."
Ashan turned his head slightly toward her.
"It is more fun this way," he replied. "I enjoy racing and winning. That is why I push myself."
Eirena smiled faintly. "You think you can pass us? That will not be easy."
Ashan's lips curved upward.
"If I do," he said, "it will be embarrassing for every A ranker here."
Before accelerating again, Ashan moved closer to her.
"By the way," he added casually, "your breathing rhythm does not match your stride. Pay attention to your body."
Eirena's eyes widened.
"What did you say?"
Whoosh..
Ashan shot forward.
In seconds, he passed every A ranker.
Gasps erupted behind him.
"What was that speed?"
"That is not possible for a B ranker."
"Was he an athlete before awakening?"
Eirena stared ahead, then smiled sharply. She leaned forward, adjusting her breathing.
"You asked for this," she whispered. "We will see who passes who."
Far ahead, the S rankers were pushing their limits.
Magnar and Luphar, despite their heavy builds, maintained terrifying momentum. Morevan, who had started behind everyone, surged ahead like a flying blade, overtaking one runner after another.
Roswayn clenched her teeth.
"He is fast," she muttered. "Using his body perfectly."
Elarith fought against the pressure of the wind, focusing on precision rather than brute force.
'These humans are extraordinary,' she thought. 'That boy moves like a divine arrow.'
Rowan tried different pacing techniques, adjusting his steps, searching for an opening.
Suddenly, Luphar felt it.
A chill crawled down his spine.
His instincts screamed.
Something was coming.
He turned his head.
What he saw made his pupils contract.
Ashan.
He was charging forward like a storm. The air around him twisted violently, his clothes straining under the pressure. Though he acted exhausted, Luphar could tell it was an act.
Behind him, the A rankers followed like enraged beasts, pride driving them beyond reason.
"This is no longer just a race," Luphar realized. "They are all serious."
The S rankers slowed slightly, glancing back.
"That B ranker from the duel," Rowan muttered. "He surpassed the A rankers?"
Morevan narrowed his eyes.
'Unbelievable!'
Rowan's eyes widened further as he noticed Eirena chasing closely.
"Even Eirena cannot pass him?" he whispered. "Who is he?"
The race had become something else entirely.
Not training.
Not competition.
A clash of pride.