Chapter 192: Double the Training!
The bell rang.
"All of you," Professor Sylvia’s voice rang out across Ground One, "begin."
There was no room for hesitation. Dozens of first-year students surged forward.
four hundred laps in just three hours.
Kael started steady, not rushing but not dragging either. His body still felt heavy from working all night, and even though Cecelia’s elixir helped, his legs screamed with every step.
He clenched his jaw, thinking,
(It’s training. I’ll endure it, no matter what.)
Beside him, Jin was already grumbling, his steps long but dramatic.
"Four hundred laps? Who even came up with this insane number? Does Sylvia have a personal grudge against the first year?!"
"I talk too much," Kael muttered, focusing on his breathing.
Veyla was behind them, moving gracefully, though her face was already pale.
"If I waste energy talking, I won’t even reach fifty.", Kael talked to himself.
Jin gasped in mock offense. "Excuse me?! What the hell... are you even in this world? ....insane... ."
Kael almost snorted, but he kept his rhythm. Around them, murmurs spread as the first-years compared each other.
Some were already slowing down, their pride crushed by the sheer number.
"Three hours... it’s impossible."
"Elysia is still going strong!"
"Edwin too... unbelievable stamina."
By the end of the first hour, sweat was pouring like rain. The weaker students collapsed on the side, gasping for air.
Elysia was still at the front, her ponytail swaying as she pushed through lap after lap with sharp determination.
Kael’s pace dropped, and he felt it—his limit closing in. Still, he forced himself to keep going.
By the end of the third hour, Professor Sylvia blew the whistle.
"Enough!" she shouted.
Everyone staggered, some falling to their knees, others clutching their chests.
Sylvia’s sharp eyes scanned the crowd. "Not a single one of you completed the four hundred laps."
Silence followed. The announcement cut deeper than the running itself.
"Elysia," Sylvia continued, "two hundred and forty-one laps. The highest."
Elysia, still standing though drenched in sweat, lowered her head slightly, her chest heaving.
"Edwin," Sylvia’s gaze shifted, "two hundred and twenty-nine laps."
Edwin wiped his forehead, giving a faint smirk, though exhaustion dulled even his pride.
Kael could run 199 laps.
Kael’s head hung low. He had pushed until his lungs burned, yet he had fallen short by just one lap from two hundred.
Some of the students whispered immediately.
"He couldn’t even reach two hundred?"
"Elysia and Edwin are far ahead of him."
"But he did stay strong till the end..."
Sylvia raised her hand for silence. "Since none of you completed it, the punishment doubles. Another two hundred laps will be added until you meet the requirement."
Groans erupted across the field.
"You’ve got to be kidding me!"
"My legs... I can’t feel them anymore..."
"This is torture!"
Jin dropped dramatically to the ground. "Professor, I’m a delicate soul! I’ll die!"
Sylvia gave him a sharp look. "Then die running."
Snickers broke out among the crowd despite the fatigue. Even Kael almost cracked a smile, though his body trembled from exhaustion.
Sylvia’s tone softened slightly. "This punishment isn’t for discipline. Consider it training. In three weeks, there are events, those who fail here will have no chance to pass."
The reminder silenced everyone. Their tired bodies stiffened. Kael clenched his fists.
(Three weeks... If I can’t even complete this, how will I ever face what’s coming?)
Sylvia’s whistle blew again. "Enough running for now. To the Ice Chamber Hall. Move."
"Jin, Kael, and Veyla... stay here for now," Sylvia’s firm voice cut through the chatter as the rest of the class began leaving the ground.
The three of them froze in place, exchanging quick glances. Jin swallowed hard, whispering,
"We’re doomed. She’s going to assign us another hundred laps, I can feel it."
Veyla elbowed him lightly. "Stop talking nonsense."
Sylvia’s sharp eyes fell on them. "All three of you—answer me. Did you complete the repairs at Ground One?"
For a moment, Kael hesitated. He thought of their blistered hands, their aching backs, and the long night of silent work.
Then Jin, with his usual nerve, stepped forward.
"Yes, Madam," he said, trying to sound casual.
"We did everything, just like you said."
Sylvia raised a brow, clearly doubtful. "All of it? The grass, the barriers, the dummies?"
"Yes, Madam," Jin repeated, straighter this time. "Every part."
The professor narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t convinced. Without another word, she turned on her heel, her robes brushing the floor as she strode out of the hall.
Kael, Jin, and Veyla followed her in silence, their hearts pounding.
When Sylvia reached Ground One, she slowed.
Her eyes swept across the wide field. The torn earth had been leveled and smoothed, fresh grass had been replanted, and the training dummies—though a little uneven—stood upright once again.
The shattered barriers were reinforced, glowing faintly with energy.
Sylvia’s eyes widened slightly. For once, the strict professor looked surprised.
"...You actually finished it," she murmured under her breath.
"In just one night.... "
Behind her, Jin grinned proudly while Kael and Veyla stood quietly, their exhaustion still written all over their faces.
"Good work", she smiled and said, "now go to ice chamber"
Jin’s big smile turned opposite.
The students groaned as they dragged themselves toward the ice chamber.
Before the midterm, they had only endured one hour inside. This time, Sylvia had doubled it.
Two hours.
The moment they stepped in, an icy wind cut through their skin. Breath turned into mist instantly, and their muscles stiffened.
Kael shivered, clutching his arms. The cold bit into his bones.
"This... this is cruel," some of them muttered through chattering teeth.
Some stomped their feet, trying to stay warm, but the frost crept up from the floor, numbing their legs.
"Sylvia is not a professor. She’s a demon in human skin."
"You’ll freeze faster if you talk too much," someone said weakly.
They pressed her palms together, focusing their healing energy inward to keep their body steady.
Across the hall, Cecelia closed her eyes, her breathing slowed and calm. Frost collected on her lashes, but her aura glowed faintly, protecting her from the biting cold.
Edwin stood firm as well, though his shoulders tensed visibly. His pride wouldn’t allow him to shiver in front of the others.
Kael fought to keep moving, stretching his limbs, stomping lightly to keep the blood flowing.