CHAPTER 43
For an hour plus, the Aspirants all practised the same kick over and over again.
While a few gained breakthroughs, some didn't.
Ray was luckily amongst those that made a little breakthrough, and which was… he now knew how to kick with the sole of his foot and not the side or his toes.
It didn't seem like much at first, but it was something.
And for him, something was better than nothing.
Currently, the class had ended as all the Aspirants dragged their battered feet that ached so badly and felt hot, as if they had walked on burning coal.
They were all drenched in sweat.
Checking the time, Ray realised it was already 2 p.m.
The sun was shining brightly in the sky, causing him to feel overly hot as he groggily dragged himself back to his dorm.
His movements, especially with the way he swayed from left to right, made him look like a zombie as he unconsciously hunched forward, arching his back while swinging his hands limply at his sides.
'... I'm so tired. From my torturous daily quest to the morning training and now today's class, my whole body aches.
Initially, I was confused by the way they set our day up, but now I understand why they did it like this.' He mused inwardly as he continued walking toward his dorm, his body covered in glistening sweat.
'At first, I wondered… Why not put the homeroom class first? I mean, after breakfast.
Then move on to daily physical training before our aspect class. Now I get it.'
'It was all for our own good. Daily physical training first thing in the morning, when everybody still had leftover energy from the previous day to expend. Then breakfast, where we rest a little.
After that, the homeroom class to cool our heads with the AC and a boring lecture. But most importantly, we'd be sitting for two hours, giving our bodies the much-needed rest.
Afterwards, our aspect class… where we're thrown back into torture again. At least, for some people.'
He grit his teeth as he finally reached his dorm. Scanning his watch on the door, it clicked open.
"I'm sure Kai and Van had a much better class than I did. Lucky bastards." He muttered as he pushed the door open.
He walked in—and his eyes widened.
"What the f*ck?!"
*****
"What the f*ck happened to you both?" The question was directed at his two roommates, who could be seen groaning on their beds.
They looked pale, almost like actual zombies, as they stared at the ceiling with distant expressions on their faces while letting out groans of pain.
Hearing his voice, they both shot upright and stared at Ray's own exhausted form.
"To… torture. This place is hell incarnate." Kai groaned in pure agony while rubbing his wrist.
"I… I almost died!" Van croaked as he rubbed his tired eyes.
"Huh? What happened exactly?" Ray asked as he shut the door behind him and dragged himself further into the room.
Kai cleared his throat and decided to speak first.
"I… I thought the ability class would be easy since I already have a grasp of my ability. But the damned instructor made us use our abilities on these training doll things.
Over and over again until we ran out of MF. Then after we recovered, the same thing again and again while he observed and kept barking orders at us.
Like broo… I already know how to use my ability. What else do you want?"
'Sheeesh! I've never seen Kai lose his composure like this in the short time we've spent together. How daunting was that class?'
Van sniffled, ready to speak next.
"You know? Not everybody is a well of knowledge, right?"
Ray and Kai nodded as the inventor continued.
"... So I decided to attend the tech class and maybe learn a few more things. But this damned instructor kept playing pranks on us. There were about six of us attending this class.
She kept playing pranks on us while deliberately asking us to create a certain device that kept exploding in our faces all the time while she cackled like a hyena."
Van shuddered, recalling the laughter and the torture, as he rubbed his face, which he had wiped clean of soot before leaving the class.
'And I thought I had it worse? Or did I?'
The duo turned toward Ray.
"What about you? Why do you look so weak?"
Ray just exhaled as he collapsed on his back on his bed.
"We were forced to practice the same kick over and over for an hour plus on these training dummies. My legs hurt like hell."
The two didn't give much of a reaction, staring at Ray with blank expressions.
"Well, looks like you had it easier compared to us." Kai commented with a sigh, rubbing his wrists.
Hearing this, Ray's eyes twitched as he shot out of bed to see Van nodding along.
"Agreed."
"You all could at least have shown an ounce of care. I just said my legs hurt like hell."
Kai just shrugged, which for some reason irked Ray even more as he glared daggers at him.
He sighed and waved his hand.
Rising up, he walked toward the bathroom to freshen up.
A few minutes later, he was back outside. For some reason, the cold shower seemed to wash away the exhaustion he had felt a while ago, making him feel… rejuvenated.
Checking the time again, it was now 2:50 p.m.
"Yeah… I'm going to be bored out of my mind."
Or so he thought, as a few minutes later, Kai suddenly regained his usual spark and began yapping on and on about the different abilities he had seen, how the users wielded them.
Then he went on to emphasize how he was better than them—except for someone.
"That girl…" He said with his brows furrowed.
"I know I'm a higher grader than her, but her ability, the way she used it… it was so calm, cold, and elegant… like a queen of some kind."
He briefly paused as the other boys listened in for different reasons.
Ray for the fact that he needed to learn about the different abilities in the Corps, just in case.
He needed to formulate a counter when the need arose.
Meanwhile, Van listened in because he was genuinely intrigued by the story as Kai continued.
"... I heard some of the Aspirants there giving her a nickname because of her cold attitude and ability. Not gonna lie, it fits her."
"Nickname? What was she called?" Van asked.
"The Ice Queen. A deadly and elegant name."