A/N:The entire chapter is from Lucas’s POV.

“Hah!Hah!”

Lucas gasped for breath as he struggled to catch up to Alex.

Alex, who was jogging a little but in front of him, stopped and also started to gasp for breath.

“…how the fuck are you so fast?!”

Lucas struggled to speak as he gasped for breath.

These days, both of them had been going on early morning runs as suggested by the sword saint for their training.

Problem was, the run was supposed to be 2 laps around the entire shield campus, which was huge.

On the first day, they both failed horribly, and even now they couldn’t do the task, although they were getting closer to their goal.

“… I don’t know.”

Alex replied half-heartedly, he then sat on the ground and tried to breathe.

Lucas was laying on the ground, and Alex was sitting on it.

The dirt there? They were too tired to think about it.

Their hearts felt like they were going to jump out of their chests any second, and they were covered in sweat.

Their legs were on fire, and just breathing was a difficult task for them.

“… I wonder when he will experience this hell with us?”

Alex muttered, but Lucas heard it and questioned him.

“He?”

“Alan.”

“The rank first?…”

Lucas suddenly felt disheartened when he heard that name again.

He said nothing, he only got up and started running again.

But before he went, he said something that Alex didn’t quite understand.

“Don’t compare us to him… he’s a fucking monster.”

And then he scooted off, leaving a confused Alex behind.

“Hey wait!”

***

“hah….fuck…”

‘How long have I been running for?’

Lucas thought and looked behind him to see the figure of Alex closing in, his form of running being shit.

‘…I have to do 500 more pushups, 500 situps, and 500 squats more.’

Lucas thought as he collected his breath.

But…

‘…will that be enough?’

Will just that be enough?

Will that be enough to catch up to what I saw?

No…I must work even harder.

I am the perfect one, I need to be above all others.

Even…him.

My training must be intense enough to rise above him.

No matter the cost.

“Hahh…Hahaha.”

I heard Alex gasping for breath as he reached my location.

I checked the time on my watch and was surprised to see that we’d missed three classes.

Well, I have missed three classes, and someone else doesn’t go to class.

Ahh, I want to see that beautiful face to rejuvenate myself.

Beauty is the cure.

But I must persevere.

I must complete my training.

But… there’s still a lot more time I have left.

How funny, if I hadn’t seen ‘that’ a few days ago, I, without a doubt would have continued to train regardless instead of thinking to rest.

But…who says I can’t have a little fun.

I…need to remove that memory from my mind.

I spoke to the tired Alex, for I am caring.

Why must I be the only one to have fun?

“Hey Alexander, You know about the Drama Club right?”

“Huh?One of the clubs that had their budgets cut?”

“Yeah, that one.”

I responded to him.

Recently, the student council has decreased the budgets of a few clubs, leading to the clubs that had their budgets cut rioting.

The Drama club, filled with absolute beauties, although can’t compare to the most beautiful, is among them.

Those girls are pissed, and along with the other clubs, have been rioting every day, only for Daniel Khorsch, the student council president to pacify them with his handsome face.

Well, that works on the girls, not the boys.

But who says every girl is pacified?

I put my arm over Alex’s shoulder and pulled his ears closed, before whispering something in his ear.

“Hey, I’ll ditch class too, instead let’s do something fun.”

I was met with Alex’s confused stare.

“Fun?What fun?”

Oh, something very fun my dear Alex.

I answered him with the biggest and lewdest smile on my face.

“Let’s go get some bitches!”

***

I’m tired….im so tired…

My muscles are so fatigued.

But I must train.

I made my way to the training room and I leaned on the walls to give myself some support.

I…for the first time in my life have realized that I am not a genius.

Especially when I am compared to the likes of Alex, Olivia, And the first rank.

Those…three are geniuses that surpass me.

I hate to admit it…but this is reality.

But! As I am perfect, I must train even harder!

So I am not left behind!

So what if they have the talent?

I have hard work!

If I can’t surpass them in terms of talent, I will surpass those geniuses in terms of hard work.

That was my motto, and even though my body experienced pain on another level, I ignored it.

I must work even harder and then reward myself with my Magazines.

But…how was I supposed to know that the moment I opened the training room, at a time when no one should be here, I would be met with a sight that devasted me.

As soon I opened the door, I was met with waves of mana clashing against my figure.

The man in the room seemed to resonate…no it was resonating…with a lone figure practicing with the spear, with bloodshot eyes.

His figure, his muscles, and the mana resonating with him, covered in a pool of sweat painted a beautiful scene pleasing to the eyes…but to mine, they seemed devastating.

As I saw the sweat, the bloodshot eyes, the muscles, the mana itself dance along his figure, his pure snow white hair dancing as he practiced his spear with a perfect form…i realized.

Fuck.

Even the ‘Genius’ works just as hard.

And then I realized an even worse truth.

…what are my efforts worth?…if even the genius works just as hard…if not even harder than me.

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