"ATTENTION!" Commander Eugene arrived at the field and called out to the students. He had arrived with a several soldiers and teachers. It would be difficult to instruct a few hundred students by himself without any helpers. They did a roll call to check the student's attendance.
"Very good! No one is missing. Since you are all here, we shall start with some running exercise. In the military, it is of vital importance that the soldiers are fit and able to keep up. The savage beasts on the battlefield would not wait for you to catch your breath! I want everyone to do 40 laps around the field. You may use whatever means necessary to complete the task but if you fail to complete it within the allotted time then you will be punished. You have 8 hours. Your military training officially starts now, GO!"
The students started running as soon as commander Eugene finished talking. They didn't have time to waste. The field was very big and wasn't a problem for all of them to run at the same time. However due to the big size of the field, the total distance covered for 40 laps was almost 100 kilometers. It wasn't something awakeners can complete in 8 hours easily, let alone the unawaken students. Half of the students had not awakened yet.
The task of complete 100-kilometer run in 8 hours was impossible for the normal students, yet they had to somehow make that impossible possible if they don't want to be punished.
Some of the awakened students ran at their fastest straight from the start, while some ran at their own pace. Leon did not want to stand out, so he ran at a similar pace to Fatty Ben.
"This is impossible. How do they expect me to complete 40 laps of this field? Is the instructor trying to kill me?" Fatty Ben complained. His fats jiggled with every step taken.
"Save your breath and just run." Leon said.
"I'll be going up ahead first." Lynne informed him. She thought that Leon didn't want to stand out since only a few knew that Leon was already an awakener. Before she left, she didn't forget to flash a provocative smile at Rachel.
"Y-You…!" Rachel was easily riled by the provocation. "I'll be going too."
The two girls started their own little competition. Leon didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
One lap…. Two laps…. After two laps had passed, the disparity in the students were shown clearly, spreading the original big crowd throughout the field like a thin ring.
Three laps…. The normal students were already showing sign of fatigue and breaking out into sweats, while some of the leading students already overlapped them a few times and was on their fifth to sixth lap. Edric and his two friends, Adrian and Cayden were one of the few leading students. They were all 3rd step awakeners. Many of the younger generations from Earl households and higher were stuck at this level. It was rare for people like Rowan to breakthrough to the 4th step at their age.
When Edric and his two cronies were passing Leon, they didn't forget to make passing remarks.
"A commoner can only amount to this level."
They were looking down on him, but they weren't aware that they had also inadvertently slapped the faces of all the normal students with their remark. Their expressions all darken at the trio's remark. They weren't doing much better than Leon. Wasn't that the same as saying that they all weren't that great either?
"Y-You!" Leon had no reaction to their remarks like he was listening to air, but Fatty Ben by his side was different as he was angered. Fatty Ben wanted to curse them, but they had already disappeared into the distance. They would not hear him even if he cursed them.
"Don't mind them. The more energy they burn at the start, the harder for them to finish. You just need to find your own pace and not be carried with the flow." Leon calmed him down with a smile.
"You might be right, but I don't think I can keep up much longer. You are a true brother for staying with me until now! but no need to slow down to my pace and just go on without me." Fatty Ben was aware that Leon had not even broken a sweat and should be much more capable than what people give him credit for, while he was sweating profusely.
Leon just shook his head and continued the same pace.
Fourth lap… fifth lap… Many normal students were already tired by this point and already slowing down their pace. The awakened students were already in their tenth to fifteenth lap. The disparity was continuing to grow larger. Some 1st step awakeners started sweating and decided to make use of their abilities to help them keep up their usual pace.
Earth users made use of the earth below their feet to give them some springing power, but their action caused some students to trip over the lumps of earth they made in the ground. Water users were hydrating their thirst with their ability to create water out of thin air. Fire users were the most dominant, using their fire as thrusters to boost their speed. Their action left a trail of heat, making things difficult for the students behind them.
The overall situation was so getting out of control. Overall, the awakened students were inconsiderate, selfish and irresponsible.
The instructor, soldiers and teachers had moved to a high vantage point where they could overlook the field and the students. They were continuous scribbling something on their pieces of papers and communicating with each other but did not interfere with what the students were doing.
"I can't go any further, bro. Go on without me!" Fatty Ben said.
Leon looked at him in thought. Fatty Ben seemed to have approach him with some motive at the start, but his character was not bad and should be worth befriending.
"Hop on my back. I'll carry you along."
"What? Wouldn't we be punished if you help me?"
"Why would we be punished? Did you forget what the instructor said? We can use whatever means necessary to complete the task."
"You are right! Bro, you are awesome!" Fatty Ben felt very touch he wanted to cry.
"Just consider it as me returning the favor." Leon said as he carried Fatty Ben on his back and picked up the pace. He still has not broken a sweat. Many normal students near them were surprised Leon picked up Fatty and overtook them.
Sixth lap… seventh lap… Leon carried Fatty through a whole two laps.
"Bro, you can put me down. I've had enough rest." Fatty Ben said. He could keep going for a while longer now that he had enough rest.
"Okay."
Leon decided to help other normal students who were struggling by giving them a free short ride along the way. He thought it was a good idea to earn some good will towards himself. He didn't like to be looked at by so many envious gazes all the time.
The normal students started seeing him in a new light when he helped them. these students all came from different backgrounds. Some came from rich merchant and business families, some from baron families and there were even some from viscount families.
Eighth… ninth… tenth lap passed by as Leon continue helping people to complete their laps. their feelings gradually changed from indifferent to friendly and from friendly to admiration.
Another five laps passed, and Leon was finally starting to feel tired from all the carrying. They still have another 25 laps but only 6 hours are left. Although it seems like a good pace and they would finish on time, it was not that simple. They would only continue to grow more and more tired and their pace would continue to drop.
The task was clearly impossible for normal students to complete so why were they given the same treatment as awakened students? Maybe there was more to the exercise? Were they being tested? Leon felt he had figured something out.
Rachel was closing in from behind him. She was going to overlap him again for who know how many times. From behind her was Lynne, whom she was toying with. Lynne was close to breaking through to the 3rd step thanks to Leon's pills but she was still a 2nd step awakener after all. She couldn't keep up with Rachel who was at the 3rd step and a fire user.
"Rachel, Lynne! Stop here for a moment." Leon called out to them.
"What's wrong? Do you want me to help carry you?" Rachel offered, seeing Leon's sweat and tired expression and unaware that she was actually sweating a lot more than him. Leon was speechless. Where would his pride and a man be if he let a woman carry him?
"Do you want some water?" Lynne offered.
"No… Did you offer your water to anyone else?" Leon shook his head.
"No, why would I do that?"
Leon smile wryly at Lynne's answer. So, he was getting special treatment by the girls? How envious people would be.
"Never mind, what lap are you two on?" Leon asked.
"27th lap." "Lap 27?" The two answered simultaneously. It could be seen that they had no problem finishing the 40 laps within the allotted time at this rate, but Leon thought this was not a good thing.
"I suggest you two slow down and help the normal students as much as possible."
"Huh? How come?" Rachel seem to have understood something, but Lynne did not as she asked curiously.
"It's clearly impossible for normal students to finish the 40 laps, but awakeners have no problem completing it. I believe we are being tested on our ability to work together. In the army, it is important for the soldiers to work together right?"
"Ah!? What we do then?" Lynne panicked. She had only been focused on beating Rachel in their little race. They had not bother helping anyone at all.
"Calm down. It's not too late to start helping others now." Leon tried to calm her down.
…
At the same time the leading students were already on their 33rd lap, but they were all breaking down in exhaustion. They had been going all out straight from the start without a care for the others.. The continuous usage of their abilities was also not without consequences.