The Academy Field:
Today was the "Physical Prowess Evaluation." Every student was dressed in athletic gear, and the air was filled with the sound of whistles and mana-measuring devices.
Alex: (Stretching lazily, looking like he's about to take a nap) "Remind me again why we're doing this? Can't I just 'Void-Step' to the finish line and call it a day?"
Serina: "No! We have to act like normal, slightly-above-average students. If you break the sound barrier during the 100-meter dash, I'm telling Mom."
Alex: "Mom is in a different dimension, Serina. Her 'parental senses' can't reach this far."
Serina: "Do you want to bet your life on that?"
Alex: (Shuddering) "...Point taken. I'll stay at 'human' speeds."
The 100-Meter Dash:
It was Evelyn's turn. She stood at the starting line, her heart still a bit fluttery because Alex was watching from the sidelines.
Evelyn's Thoughts: Okay, Evelyn. Just act normal. Don't use the Light-Speed boost you learned in the Shadow Realm. Just... run like a regular girl.
The Whistle Blows!
Evelyn took off. She was trying so hard to be slow that she actually ended up running in a weird, zigzag motion. She finished with a decent time, but she was panting—mostly from the stress of holding back her power.
Alex: (Walking over, handing her a water bottle) "Wow, Evelyn. You looked like a wounded duck out there. Are your legs okay? Do you have a cramp? You were wobbling everywhere."
Evelyn: (Taking the bottle, her face heating up) "I—I was just... trying a new aerodynamic technique! It's called 'The Swaying Willow'! You wouldn't understand it, you lazy log!"
Alex: "Right. 'The Swaying Willow.' Well, it looked like 'The Stumbling Toddler.' But hey, at least you didn't fall."
He patted her on the head—a casual, friendly gesture—and walked away to find Allen. Evelyn stood there frozen, the water bottle shaking in her hand.
Evelyn: (Whispering to herself) "He touched my head. He patted me. Does that mean... no, he probably just thinks I'm a dog. A wounded duck dog."
Serina: (Walking past with a deadpan look) 😑 "He's literally an idiot, Evelyn. Stop romanticizing a head-pat. He probably just had cinnamon sugar on his hand and wanted to wipe it off."
The Grip Strength Test:
Lucian was next. He had to squeeze a metal handle that measured "Tons of Pressure." As an SS-Ranker now, he could accidentally turn the machine into a pancake.
Lucian: (Sweating) Okay... just a little squeeze. Like I'm holding a delicate egg. Just...
CRUNCH.
The machine didn't just beep; it let out a puff of smoke and the needle spun around three times before snapping off.
The Coach: "Vance! What happened?! You just broke a 5-ton limit sensor!"
Lucian: (Panic-grinning) "Uh... I've been drinking a lot of milk? High calcium! Very strong bones! 😆"
Alex: (From the back) "He's a growing boy, Coach! Give him a break!"
The Long Jump (The Climax of Awkwardness):
It was Alex's turn. He stood at the pit, looking bored. He planned to jump exactly 5 meters. Perfectly average.
But as he ran, he saw a small pebble in his path. To avoid it without looking "supernatural," he did a weird little hop-skip mid-run. He landed in the sand with a "thud" at exactly 4.9 meters.
Alex: (Grinning at Evelyn) "See? 4.9 meters. Pure human mediocrity. Pretty impressive, right?"
Evelyn: (Looking at him with stars in her eyes, completely ignoring the fact that he looked like a dork) "Yeah... the way you handled that pebble... it was so... graceful."
Serina: (Face-palming) "He tripped, Evelyn. He literally tripped over a rock."
Alex: "It wasn't a trip! it was a tactical evasion! Anyway, I'm going to go see if the cafeteria is giving out free protein shakes for the 'athletes.' Coming, Allen?"
Allen: "I've been in the cafeteria for ten minutes, Alex. They have chocolate milk."
The Ending Scene:
Lucian caught up to Alex in the hallway. "My Lord! Did you see? I only broke one machine! I'm getting better at being weak!"
Alex: "Good job, Lucian. Keep it up and you might actually pass for a human. By the way, why is Evelyn staring at that water bottle I gave her like it's a legendary artifact?"
Lucian: (Looking back at Evelyn, who was hugging the plastic bottle) "Uh... maybe she's really hydrated, my Lord?"
Alex: "Must be. Humans are weird. Anyway, let's go get that chocolate milk."
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