The weighted running exercise had barely begun when Zhao Mu exploded forward.
With two massive logs resting across his shoulders, he surged ahead like a charging beast, instantly pulling away from the rest of the trainees.
The others had only just begun jogging at a steady pace.
No one knew when the instructors would shout for them to stop, and that uncertainty made everyone cautious.
Conserving strength was the safest option.
But Zhao Mu's sudden burst of speed shattered the fragile balance of the group.
"A mere Dou Level 2—who do you think you're showing off to?!"
Shao Han roared angrily.
The sight of Zhao Mu running ahead like a wild horse ignited a fire inside him.
With a furious stomp, Shao Han kicked off the ground and began sprinting after Zhao Mu like a madman.
Now there were two people charging ahead at full speed.
The entire formation instantly collapsed into chaos.
Chaos on the Training Field
Zhao Mu, however, didn't care about the others.
A wide grin spread across his face as he ran.
The wind rushed past his ears, the weight of the logs pressing against his shoulders.
Instead of feeling burdened, Zhao Mu felt exhilarated.
Behind him, Shao Han was chasing like a raging bull.
The sight of those two racing ahead triggered panic among the rest of the trainees.
"This training camp has rankings!"
"If I look too weak, the instructors might eliminate me!"
"There's no way I'm letting those two leave me behind!"
Those thoughts pushed more and more trainees to increase their speed.
Soon the entire group began accelerating.
Their reasoning was simple.
If someone carrying two heavy logs could run like that…
What excuse did they have to slow down?
The Instructors' Reaction
At the edge of the training field, the instructors watched the scene unfold.
Xu Zhixiong stared in disbelief.
"Have they all lost their minds?"
"At this pace they'll collapse before five laps!"
The weighted running exercise wasn't meant to punish them.
It was designed to teach the trainees how to control Spirit Power.
Most of the recruits had only recently awakened their Spirit Power.
Some of them couldn't even properly perform Condense, the most basic technique.
By forcing the body to carry heavy loads while running, the training would squeeze out their hidden potential.
It would force them to instinctively direct Spirit Power to the right places.
Spirit Power should flow to the shoulders to reduce the strain of the logs.
It should strengthen the waist and legs to improve propulsion.
Only through slow and steady practice could this control be developed.
Rushing would only exhaust them faster.
Yet several cadets were currently running as if they were in a hundred-meter sprint.
Zhang Biao burst into laughter.
"Let them run."
"They'll learn their lesson soon enough."
But his gaze gradually shifted toward Zhao Mu.
The young man was now more than ten meters ahead of everyone else.
Zhang Biao narrowed his eyes.
"Maybe I should've given that lunatic three logs instead of two."
What shocked him the most was something else entirely.
Zhao Mu hadn't used any Spirit Power.
Not even a trace.
He was relying purely on his physical strength.
And yet he was still leaving everyone behind.
Zhang Biao revealed a cold smile.
"Are you bluffing… or are you really that strong?"
"You're sticking your head out too early."
"Today I'll find out exactly where your limits are."
The Long Track
More than one hundred cadets were now scattered across the track.
Some struggled to maintain a steady rhythm.
Others were already beginning to pant heavily.
Yet a few individuals remained calm.
Zhuo Yun ran smoothly, his breathing steady.
Beside him, Lu Yan looked completely relaxed.
Lu Yan had awakened with a Combat Level of 12, making him a second-tier Private Spirit Power User from the very beginning.
His Spirit Power reserves were far greater than anyone else's.
Since no one had taught him how to properly control Spirit Power, he relied on a crude method.
He wrapped Spiritual Entanglement around his entire body.
It was inefficient.
But his enormous Spirit Power reserves allowed him to maintain it without difficulty.
Gradually, Lu Yan began noticing something.
Using Spirit Power throughout his entire body wasted too much energy.
So he began adjusting.
He directed Spirit Power only to the muscles that needed it most.
His shoulders.
His legs.
His waist.
Exactly the technique the instructors wanted the trainees to discover.
Sooner or later, the rest of them would reach the same conclusion.
But only after experiencing enough pressure.
Meng Qiuqiu's Shortcut
Among the trainees was a small, chubby boy named Meng Qiuqiu.
Carrying his log, he rolled his eyes.
Then he twisted the ring on his right index finger.
"Good thing I've got strength-enhancing Ember Remains."
With a faint glow, the ember remains activated.
A surge of strength flowed into his body.
He easily lifted the heavy log again.
"Haha!"
"Piece of cake!"
Meng Qiuqiu confidently rejoined the formation.
However, he would soon learn an important lesson.
Shortcuts rarely stay easy.
Even Ember Remains required a steady supply of Spirit Power to maintain.
Eventually, the cost would catch up to him.
The Rivalry Intensifies
Meanwhile, Zhao Mu and Shao Han continued their intense chase.
More than 160 trainees now filled the track.
But everyone's attention was focused on the two men at the front.
"Zhao Mu!"
"Stop right there!"
Shao Han shouted angrily.
Originally, he had planned to use this training session to show Zhao Mu the difference between them.
Instead…
The difference had appeared in the opposite direction.
Zhao Mu was ahead.
And the gap kept growing.
What angered Shao Han even more was that he was already sprinting at full speed.
Yet he was still losing ground.
Zhao Mu glanced back casually.
A playful smile appeared on his face.
"I told you already."
"As long as I'm around, you'll always be Second Best."
With that, Zhao Mu leaned slightly forward.
Then he accelerated again.
Pushing the Limits
Zhao Mu had made a promise earlier.
He said he would lap Shao Han.
And he intended to keep that promise.
He wasn't joking.
As Zhao Mu continued running, he noticed something surprising.
The proficiency of his skill Innate Divine Strength was steadily increasing.
Normally, others would grow more exhausted as they carried heavy weights.
But Zhao Mu felt the opposite.
With every step, his body felt lighter.
"This level of pressure is perfect."
"It's tiring… but not overwhelming."
"It feels amazing!"
Zhao Mu became completely absorbed in the thrill of improvement.
He almost forgot that he was participating in a boot camp exercise.
Suddenly—
Whoosh!
He burst forward once again.
Another ten-meter gap instantly opened between him and Shao Han.
The other trainees were stunned.
"He's gone insane!"
"Slow down!"
"You're ruining the pace for everyone!"
But there was nothing they could do.
Without Zhao Mu pushing the speed, the pressure wouldn't be nearly as intense.
Now they had no choice but to chase.
Shao Han's Pride
Shao Han clenched his teeth.
"Just you wait!"
Second place was the most frustrating position.
He didn't even know how far behind third place was.
His entire world was focused on Zhao Mu.
There was no way he could allow Zhao Mu to lap him.
That would be unbearable humiliation.
At that thought, Shao Han released a surge of Spirit Power.
Energy burst from his body.
His speed increased dramatically.
Within seconds, he closed the gap.
Five meters.
Zhao Mu noticed immediately.
He glanced back and raised his eyebrows.
A confident smile appeared.
"Come on!"
Zhao Mu didn't bother accelerating further.
Shao Han's explosive burst wouldn't last long.
Based on the training intensity, they would probably run at least twelve laps.
Zhao Mu possessed Innate Divine Strength.
His stamina was extraordinary.
Shao Han didn't have that advantage.
So Zhao Mu simply toyed with him.
The two of them raced around the 1,000-meter track like a pair of racing horses.
Soon the first lap was completed.
Signs of Collapse
Their incredible speed had completely stretched out the formation behind them.
Some trainees with lower combat levels were already struggling.
Others had poor Spirit Power control and were falling further behind.
A few were even close to being lapped.
Meanwhile, Zhao Mu's pace remained steady.
The two logs weighing over three hundred jin rested on his shoulders as if they were nothing more than sugarcane stalks.
But Shao Han was beginning to falter.
His Condense mastery was far inferior to Zhao Mu's.
The intense sprint was draining his Spirit Power at an alarming rate.
He knew what he should do.
Slow down.
Adjust his pace.
Conserve energy.
But pride wouldn't allow it.
Zhao Mu was still just a few meters ahead.
Almost close enough to touch.
Almost close enough to surpass.
Shao Han refused to give up.
Yet every step pushed him closer to exhaustion.
And the price of that stubborn pride…
Was about to arrive.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)