I woke up to the sound of the alarm. Last night was nice. Albeit, I felt a little too full...
It was good news, but Mr. Brok really went above and beyond when I told him I made the representative list.
He was so excited he cooked up an entire feast. Unfortunately, he forgot the fact that we lived in a two-person-household so the whole fridge is filled with tupperwares of unfinished food.
I dragged myself out of bed, stretching with a groan before throwing on my uniform. My body still felt heavy from overeating, but my mind was wide awake.
The festive mood still hasn't disappeared. Still, I shouldn't get complacent. I just made it to the list. I haven't done anything noteworthy yet.
Nevertheless, if I'm in a good mood, then there's no reason to complain.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and stepped out the door and walked to the subway.
The ride felt different from before. The students from other schools were talking about one topic.
Last night, the representative list for Potentia Academy was revealed to the media. Normally it wouldn't make this much of a buzz for other schools. They have their own representative lists.
But Potentia is different. A school that creates elites. If that's so, then the ones on the list are elites of the elite.
"Wow, they're the same age as us, but they feel like a different level..."
"I know, it's crazy to think about..."
My nostrils flared up as I heard this.
Yes yes... That's right, praise me more!
I thought, though it was obvious they weren't praising me directly...
"Oh? This article even shows their faces!"
"Eh?" I leaned slightly to the side, pretending to check the station map, but my eyes darted toward their phone screen.
Sure enough—there it was. The representative list in bold letters, lined with glossy headshots.
Of course, there's Potentia's current poster girl, Pheobe. Her face as stoic as always. Unreadable, but even without smiling, her face is enough to captivate the students on the train.
"She looks so cool…" someone whispered in awe.
Then the next face came up
Pincer.
His picture showed him smiling in that infuriatingly confident way, the kind that made half the girls on the train squeal.
"Ahh, he's so handsome…" one said, clutching her phone like it was a treasure.
Admittedly I was a little ticked...
Ladies... He's not the gentleman you think he is...
A few more students were mentioned eventually, and sure enough—two names I recognized popped up.
Elio.
Kristina.
Elio's photo was… well, intimidating. The guy tried to smile, but it was so awkward It kinda looked like one of those psychos you see from mugshots, and the camera didn't help. His piercing eyes practically burned through the screen, making some of the students on their phones go quiet for a bit.
"Whoa… he looks scary…" someone whispered.
"He's hot though," another muttered, and a few others agreed.
I was a little surprised.
But yeah, even speaking as a guy, Elio does have some good appeal if you get past the eye thing.
He's tall and physically fit. That's already something that the ladies would like. On top of that, he's a good brother.
Wait, doesn't that mean I might also have appeal? Maybe getting on this list will begin my popular phase!
I grinned before Kristina's face was next to show.
Her photo showed a great smile. She was doing a peace sign while winking. Can't say I expected anything less. All of the guys' eyes were practically glued to their screens.
The train announced the next station. I realized my stop was approaching, but I still wanted to know everyone's reaction about me.
As the people in the train car scrolled down, my face showed up.
To my disappointment though, my photo was an unflattering one.
My eyes were half-open and my smile, if you can even call it that, looked like a guy who's nervously soliciting at your front door.
"...Who?"
"Ew..."
"Gross..."
"Creepy..."
I wanna jump off this train..
________________________________________
School's a little different today. I'd usually be sitting in class listening to Professor Stein give a lecture, but right now I'm being forced to stand up straight in formation under the blazing sun.
To my left was Kristina and a few rows back is Elio.
Surrounding me was everyone that has been chosen as a representative of Potentia.
"Alright, now I'm sure you're all aware about why you're here!" A teacher with a deep voice told all of us.
His stern voice and appearance automatically commanded respect.
Looking at him a bit more, I recognized his appearance.
Covered by orange fur and black stripes, this teacher made quite the impression on me and especially two other students during the opening ceremony.
He's the teacher with the Tiger mutation perk.
"All of you were chosen to be the ones to represent Potentia Academy in the Hero's Party Recruitment Event! And so, to bring honor to this prestigious school, Headmaster Valen has assigned me to be the one to train and monitor your abilities and growth before the start of the event!"
Resting his fist on his chest, the teacher introduced himself.
"I am Bengalu Gato, but you can refer to me as Coach Ben! Any questions?"
All of the students except for one raised their hand.
"Yes, Miss Pheobe?"
"You said that we are called here for training, yes? Will we be going here everyday until the event?"
"Yes you will except for Sundays, if you're sick or if there's an emergency in your household."
"I see. How will this affect our studies, Coach Ben?"
"Oh, good question. The staff had decided that Sundays are for when you will do your homework. Besides that, they have also decided to exempt you from any quizzes or test that may happen during this period of time."
"I understand." Pheobe nodded.
"Is that all?"
"Yes, that is all."
"Good. Let's make the most of our time and proceed to warming up. Find a parter and do some stretches together."
Hearing this, everyone immediately went to someone they were close with.
I raised my arms up and yawned before following everyone's lead.
I already knew who I'm gonna pair up with.
Looking at the crowd, there's a noticeable empty circle surrounding one student.
It was none other than Elio.
Every time he tried to greet someone they'd laugh nervously, and lie about already having a partner. It was a heartbreaking sight to be honest.
He eventually gave up and stood quietly.
I walked up to him and tapped his shoulder.
When he turned around, his eyes were so tense, you'll assume he was pissed. Even I was surprised.
"Aran..."
"Yo, paired up with someone yet?"
"No... How about you?"
"Me neither. I actually went here to ask if you want to pair up."
"Wait, really?! What about Kristina?"
"Of course, we're pals, right? And she's already with a friend. She's really popular."
Elio nodded, his face forming a smile.
"Yeah, I won't deny that."
Both of us couldn't agree more. Even after that whole fiasco with Jena, Kristina's popularity wasn't affected at all.
After leaving her previous friend group, she easily made new friends soon after. Extroverts really are something else.
"We should get to stretching" I told Elio.
He replied with a nod before we both walked to an open space.
________________________________________
While doing some standing stretches together, both Elio and I were quiet. Wanting to pass the time, I started a conversation.
"You were looking pretty tense there earlier. Your eyes looked sharper than usual."
"Oh, well that's uh..."
I tilted my head. "Yeah?"
"I was trying not to cry..."
"Whoa, for real?"
"Yep..." Elio looked down and scratched his neck
I was a bit surprised. I didn't expect him to almost cry over something like that. Well, he did cry the day we became friends, so maybe Elio's a more sensitive guy than I thought.
Even though he's a beast with fights, he's still a soft hearted guy.
Nothing bad about that though.
Trying to make him feel better, I mentioned what I heard from the train this morning.
"By the way, I heard some girls on the train saying you were hot and stuff! Seems like you're pretty popular with the crowd outside of school!"
Elio's eyes lit up.
"Really? You're not just messing with me, right?"
"I'm not, be more confident with yourself man. You've got some fans."
Elio chuckled. Seeing that he was feeling better, I felt relieved.
________________________________________
After doing our stretches, Coach Ben called all of us over for the first test.
"Listen up, all of your abilities have already been tested and analysed by the professors after your sparring matches a few months ago. So this time, instead of your perks, your physical abilities will be tested instead!"
This revelation made everyone start muttering amongst themselves.
Elio and I looked at each other. Even without saying a word, we understood each other's faces saying "Is that it?"
The simplicity of this test was a little surprising.
I mean, some perks don't rely on their physical abilities like muscles or anything.
The way perks interact with human bodies is complicated and depends on the individual.
Physical toughness can play a role in improving your abilities, but for example, if you have an ability like Kristina's where she emits ice, bigger muscles won't help that much.
I didn't really know what Coach Ben was getting at.
He must've seen everyone's confusion, because his tail flicked behind him as he grinned. "Don't give me that look! A hero's body needs to be able to endure harsh environments and combat situations! Power without stamina is useless, and stamina without discipline is even worse!"
His words silenced the crowd pretty fast.
"Today, we'll measure your endurance, reflexes, and combat conditioning. Strength of body, strength of heart, and strength of will."
He slammed a clawed fist into his palm, the thud echoing across the field. "These are the three things I expect from anyone representing Potentia!"
I could practically feel the air tense up. Everyone suddenly straightened their backs, probably hoping not to be the one to disappoint him.
"Well, it's a given that this wasn't going to be easy." I muttered.
Elio smiled faintly beside me. "You'll manage. You've survived worse."
"It's comforting to hear that from the physical monster."
Coach Ben blew his whistle. "First up—a 10 kilometer run around the academy track! I'll be timing each of you personally. Remember: no perks. You use them, you start over!"
The class collectively groaned.
A few meters away, Kristina stood with her group—hands on her hips, hair tied up, but looking like her soul left her body.
"What's up with her?" I asked, watching her sway like she was seconds from melting.
Coach Ben blew his whistle, the sound cutting through the heat. "Everyone! To the track!"
It wasn't a race—just a stamina test. It didn't matter who finished first, as long as we kept running until we reached the 10 kilometer goal.
He raised his whistle again. "Ready… set—go!"
The sharp tweet sent everyone into motion.
At first, the air was filled with the sound of synchronized footsteps and heavy breathing. A few students dashed off like they were competing to be the fastest, but most of us settled into a steady pace.
The heat hit me like a wall, my uniform already sticking to my back. Within a single lap, the novelty of "no perks allowed" was starting to feel like a cruel joke to the others.
A few laps later, I noticed that the only people near me were Elio up front and Pincer running right behind me.
Trying to make small talk, I glanced over my shoulder. "You've got good stamina. Been training a lot or something?"
"Don't talk to me," Pincer muttered without even looking my way.
"Huh?"
He sighed through his nose. "Don't even look at me."
"Okay, point taken."
Elio looked back at me a little concerned.
"Uh… nice weather we're having!" he said, his tone just a bit too cheerful to be natural.
I snorted. "If only it weren't scorching hot right now, then yes."
"Right," he muttered, glancing forward again. "Terrible weather we're having."
Up ahead, we saw Kristina panting like a dying animal, sweat covering her face and trying to fan herself with her shirt's collar.
Elio winced at the sight. "Yikes… she looks like she's melting."
"Yeah," I said, jogging a little slower.
Elio raised his brow in surprise. "What are you doing?"
I shook my head in reassurance.
"I'm just gonna talk to her for a bit. You can go ahead."
"Won't that affect your time?"
He worriedly asked. He's got a point. This training wasn't exactly a race, but getting a good time would be ideal to get the attention of the examiner. Still, I laughed it off.
"Worry more about yourself, dude. Do your best!"
"Okay..." Elio nodded before suddenly speeding up.
"Wow, even without using his perk he's fast."
I looked back at Kristina and ran towards her.
She was practically dragging her legs, muttering something about "the sun being a villain." Her hair stuck to her face, and she was fanning herself so aggressively it looked like she might take off.
"Need a hand, Ice Queen?"
Kristina groaned and shot me a sharp glance. "Aran… if you make one joke right now, I swear I'll turn your shoes into ice cubes."
"If you do, you're starting over remember? No perks."
"Shut up," she hissed, voice low. "I was joking."
"Sure," I said, chuckling gently as we fell into step.
"I probably look really lame right now..." Kristina said with a sigh. "I'm slow, sweaty and barely catching my breath..."
I shook my head. "No way, stop it with that self-deprecating tone. You're the opposite of lame."
Kristina blinked at me, clearly caught off guard. "Huh? What do you mean?"
I scratched my head. "Well, it's true that this isn't your style, but you're still doing your best. There's no way I can make fun of people who are working hard."
Kristina looked down quietly. Slowly speeding up to match my pace better.
"...Thanks."
"No biggie. Plus, everyone's struggling under this sun too. You're not lame, you're just part of the club!"
"Kinda hard to believe hearing that from someone who's not panting after all this running." Kristina chuckled
"Fair."
From behind us, Kristina and I could hear the sound of shoes hitting the ground strongly.
When we turned around we saw Elio running at us in top speed.
"Whoa, what the—"
Just before he could hit us, he quickly slowed down.
"Hello." He told us.
"Elio?! What are you doing here?" Kristina exclaimed.
Looking at him and around the track, I realized that he just ran an entire lap around the track in a matter of seconds. He sprinted the whole time.
"Well, I… I wanted to talk to you guys," Elio said, rubbing the back of his neck, "but I knew Aran would be worried if I slowed down too. So I ran an entire lap instead."
"The way you say that so casually is impressive and scary," Kristina muttered, half in awe, half in disbelief.
I looked over at Coach Ben, who was watching us with his arms crossed and a smug grin.
Looks like he just found his favorite trainee
________________________________________
After everyone had finished running, our times were posted.
First place went to Elio — 29 minutes and 40 seconds. The guy could compete in no-perk sports and still win medals.
Next up was Pincer at 34 minutes and 16 seconds. No surprise there. He's built like an athlete and probably trains for this kind of thing.
Then came some unfamiliar names: a second year named Simon and a third year named Flint, clocking in at 35 and 36 minutes.
As for me, I landed comfortably at 36 minutes and 34 seconds.
Could've done better if I hadn't slowed down to chat… but hey, that was my choice. No regrets.
The times after me were way more spread out — from 1 hour and 40 minutes all the way up to 2 hours.
Someone even took 2 hours and 40 minutes, but I'm not naming names.
Cough cough Kristina Cough cough
As we were catching our breaths, we heard the sound of clapping approaching us.
It was Coach Ben.
"Good effort, everyone," he said, stepping forward. "Now, I'm noticing that most of you haven't exactly conditioned yourselves physically. I am a little disappointed. We were supposed to have more tests today, but since this took so long and seeing that some of you can't lift a muscle, we'll end it here."
A few groans and embarrassed laughs rippled through the group. Some were glad it was over for today but are dreading the next.
"There's no shame in that," he continued, hands behind his back, "but if your goal is to join the hero's party, a fit body is the bare minimum. You can't rely on your perk forever—because someday, it will fail you. You will become a liability in life or death situations."
He paused to let that sink in. The students around me had a gloomy atmosphere. You could almost see an imaginary rain cloud forming on their heads.
Noticing this, Coach Ben softened his tone. "That said, we'll also nurture those with abilities that don't rely on physical strength. You'll each be assigned to specialized trainers based on your perk type. The details will be sent to your academy email."
He cleared his throat.
"Now… for the ones who placed in the top five."
My ears perked up immediately.
Top five? I'm part of that!
"I have a prize to give all of you. One you'll never forget!"
Elio, Pincer, myself and the two senior students were excited.
"What is it, Coach?" Simon asked in anticipation.
Coach Ben's strict face turned into a terrifying smile while growling like an actual tiger.
"All of you will take on me in a fight. I won't pull my punches, so you better treat it like a combat scenario!"
Our faces immediately went blank
"...What?"
Did we just walk straight into hell for performing well?