The second-floor training hall buzzed with energy, filled with the pounding footsteps of students. Ryan's gaze swept across the room until it landed on a familiar face... His expression lit up instantly...
That pudgy guy again...
Just like before, Ronnie was sprinting down the track with surprising speed, his bulky frame shaking as he ran...
So... he had already advanced to a mid-level combat trainee... That explained why Ryan had not seen him back on the first floor... He did not belong there anymore...
"Ronnie... Morning, man..." Ryan called out, grinning like he had just found an old buddy...
Ronnie glanced over at the voice, and his face instantly soured... Not this idiot again... Without a word, he turned away and pumped his legs even faster...
Ryan only watched, amused... Ronnie had no idea that the special attributes he dropped were trailing behind him like breadcrumbs... and Ryan was happily collecting them with every step... Activating his movement technique, Ryan closed in from behind, scooping up attribute points as if they were his birthright...
"Speed plus six... Speed plus seven... Footwork plus three... Speed plus six..."
Now that Ronnie was a mid-level trainee, the number of attributes he dropped had skyrocketed... The stronger someone was, the more they shed... That meant the second floor was a goldmine compared to the first... At this rate, Ryan was sure he would climb to a high-level trainee in no time... and then, step by step, into a true combat warrior...
"Why the hell are you glued to me like a bug on flypaper... Do not you have any shame..." Ronnie's annoyed voice dragged Ryan out of his thoughts...
"Haha... Come on, man... Training alone is boring... Let us race... Ten laps around the track... Whoever finishes first wins... You got the guts..."
Ronnie almost told him to screw off... but then his competitive streak flared... "Fine... But if you lose, you stay the hell away from me and let me train in peace..."
"Deal... And if you lose..." Ryan smirked...
Ronnie arched an eyebrow... "What is the catch..."
"Simple... You sing that song..."
Ronnie let out a short laugh... "If I lose, I will sing not one but ten songs... Just try and beat me..."
Ryan grinned... As long as you do not throw the race... this is perfect...
Ronnie waved down another student to act as referee... The guy nodded and walked over to the track...
"Both of you ready... The moment I say go... you run..."
Ronnie loosened up, shaking out his heavy legs... His fat jiggled with every motion, and some students nearby could not help but laugh...
"Look at that guy... He is huge, but he is trying to learn footwork..."
"Do not laugh too soon... When he runs, he is faster than a damn rabbit..."
Hearing their chatter, Ronnie puffed up with pride... He cast Ryan a challenging look...
"What is your name, kid..." Ryan asked with a cocky grin...
"Ronnie... Remember it... so when you lose, you will know exactly who crushed you..."
"And you can remember mine... Ryan... Just do not forget it after you eat dust..."
"Tch..." Ronnie rolled his eyes... "Ready... Go..."
They shot forward like twin bolts of lightning...
Gasps rang out as the spectators' eyes widened... Both tore across the first ten meters in an instant, neither losing speed, neither holding back... The race was not about tricks or conserving energy... It was pure speed...
Ronnie's bulk was deceptive... Despite his size, he was fast—blazing fast... Not many could reach that level... The crowd quickly realized this was not going to be some easy blowout...
"This new guy is trailing just a little... maybe twenty meters at most..."
"Yeah... but he does not look winded at all... His face is steady..."
Of course, Ryan was not giving it his all... He deliberately held back, shadowing Ronnie to keep soaking up his attributes... The whole point of challenging him was to squeeze more drops out of him... He had already figured out the trick... Push someone hard, and they dropped more... Beat the crap out of them... maybe even more... But he could not exactly go around pummeling people for loot...
Ronnie, meanwhile, was running like his life depended on it, desperate to shake Ryan... That only made more attributes fall...
"Footwork plus two... Speed plus five... Speed plus six... Footwork plus four... Speed plus seven..."
To Ryan, it was like playing Temple Run... attributes glittering in front of him like golden coins... With each pickup, he swore he could hear the cheerful ding of a bell... Instead of tiring, his excitement grew, fueling his pace... He was not just racing—he was farming...
From the sidelines, students noticed the cocky grin spreading across his face...
"Look at him... He is running like he is walking a dog... no... walking a fat dog... All he needs is a leash..."
Unaware of the commentary, Ronnie shouted back... "Too easy... I told you you could not keep up with me..."
A flash cut past him...
"Wha... ?..." Ronnie froze mid-stride, his jaw dropping, eyes wide... Ryan had surged ahead in a burst of pure speed, leaving him stunned...
"Damn it... You held back this whole time... You sneaky bastard..."
"At first I thought you had me..." Ryan said casually, slowing just enough to talk...
"Then I realized you were getting cocky... So I let you show off for a bit... then finished it properly..."
"Why the hell should I believe you..." Ronnie sneered, panting... "You are a damn trickster..."
"Believe it or not, the race is done... Admit defeat, and I will not make you hold up your end of the bet..."
Ryan's grin widened... "Or are you scared to sing..."
"Who said I will not admit it... Fine... A bet is a bet... You want a song... I will sing..." Ronnie lifted his chin proudly...
"Then sing, man... Even the flowers are waiting..." Ryan smirked...
Ronnie's face twisted like he had just swallowed something bitter... His pride battled his embarrassment, until finally, like a balloon losing air, he gave in...
In the faintest mosquito-like voice, he began to sing...
"Can not hear you..." Ryan teased, cupping a hand around his ear...
Ronnie sucked in a deep breath and raised his voice... "The way you took my heart..."
The whole crowd burst out laughing...
His voice was awful... completely tone-deaf... Some winced, others covered their ears... A few even felt a twinge of sympathy... To sing like that in front of everyone... this was a scar on Ronnie's soul that would never heal...
Even Ryan felt a little secondhand embarrassment...
"Alright... that is enough..." he said between laughs... "Your voice is scaring the kids..."
"No way... I owe you ten songs, remember..." Ryan grinned devilishly...
"The way you took my heart..." he sang again, even louder...
"Get away from me..." Ronnie bolted off the track, looking like he was fleeing for his life... Ryan's voice really was terrifying...