Al rose to his feet, determinedly stomping on his left leg multiple times. To his surprise, his left leg felt remarkably stronger. Glancing at Jin, he remarked, "Don't worry, he should be back in another 10 minutes." Al walked toward Jin, noticing an emblem of a beautifully adorned bridge symbol on his white and blue robe.

Jin appeared distinct from the other unrecognized disciples; their robes were more modest.

"I was hoping you could answer a question," Al said, standing beside Jin, who gestured for him to sit. Al complied, struggling to sit down and meticulously wiping down his helmet while awaiting Jin's response.

Jin replied candidly, "I've given it some thought, and feel free to ask me anything. It's better to see each other as teammates rather than business partners." Al grinned, agreeing.

Pondering momentarily, Al said, "I think that would be for the best. Lately, I've been feeling a swirling whirlpool in the navel of my stomach—a sign of Will supposedly awakening. However, the red book never explains the connection between breathing techniques and this spinning energy. Yet, I sense a definite connection when I perform the breathing technique you taught me."

Jin smiled, restraining his inclination to laugh at someone lacking foundational knowledge this far in their training.

Despite his inclination to laugh, Jin understood Al had never had a teacher or mentor. He calmly and deliberately said, "The Red Book doesn't typically delve into a person's Autonomous Revolution Converter or A.R.C. An awakened Will is the result of a properly functioning A.R.C. Think of your A.R.C as an engine that converts one's Will into an external manifestation."

Jin paused, observing Al's expression, anticipating the barrage of questions that were about to follow. Before Al could begin, Jin swiftly interjected, "Everyone is born with an A.R.C., but not everyone awakens their Will. As individuals undergo experiences that enable them to master their heartbeat and breath, eventually, they stimulate their A.R.C. As their A.R.C begins to revolve, one's Will naturally awakens."

Jin lifted up his left hand, placed his palm on his abdomen, and changed his breathing pattern. "Each person's breath and heartbeat possess a unique signature of their Will, so their A.R.C. is constantly responsive to their breathing and heartbeat. Breathing techniques allow individuals to prompt their A.R.C and, ultimately, direct their Will in a desired manner."

Jin hoped his explanation would satisfy Al's curiosity and help him understand the intricate connection between breathing techniques, the A.R.C, and awakening one's Will.

Al absorbed the newfound knowledge, "So, this is their source of power," he mused, contemplating Jin's explanation. While Al still had lingering questions, he knew that Jin had said as much as he knew.

"You should be thrilled to sense your A.R.C. and experience the effects of breathing techniques on it. It's a strong indication you are very close to awakening your will," Jin remarked, conveying a sense of admiration.

He shared stories of family members who had dedicated their lives to awakening their will. Some never felt the revolutions of their A.R.C., while others failed to awaken their Will after feeling their A.R.C.'s revolutions.

"So, when do you think Cesar will be arriving?" Jin passively mentioned. Just as he spoke, a figure appeared in the distance, sprinting with all their might. "You better hurry; he's approaching quickly!" Al replied.

Jin rushed to assume his position, visibly eager to commence the run. Al took out his C-stone, watching as Cesar dashed past Jin, his palm slapping against Jin's outstretched hand before gradually decelerating. Jin swiftly set off at a moderate pace.

Cesar approached Al, panting heavily, his hands on his head. "What's the time? Did I beat him?" Cesar shouted, his voice strained between breaths. Al hesitated, unsure how to break the news that Yusuf had defeated Cesar once again.

Hoping to maintain Cesar's motivation, Al mustered excitement and said, "You did really well! You shaved off a whole 6 minutes from your previous time! The Ever-life water seems to have worked wonders for you. But, well... you didn't beat Yusuf. You were off by 2 minutes."

Cesar, unexpectedly, didn't erupt in anger this time. Instead, he absorbed the information with a severe expression, remaining silent.

Changing the subject, Al attempted to focus on what Jin had revealed. "Anyway," Al began, "Jin just told me something incredible everyone else probably already knows." Intrigued, Cesar asked, "What is it?"

Al recollected Jin's explanation and continued, "Apparently, we all have something called an A.R.C. It stands for Autonomous Revolution Converter, the source of our manifested Will, like an engine. Earlier, when I broke my leg and used the Spearmint breathing technique to heal it, I felt a spinning sensation in the depths of my stomach. Jin mentioned that this happens when someone awakens their will. So, I guess I'm getting closer to awakening my Will now." Al finished speaking.

Cesar's serious expression melted away, replaced by a simmering anger. "That's cool, but I don't need some cheap trick like that. I'll beat Yusuf on my own. Keep your little magical water, too. It would help if you had it more than I do, especially with your one-hour run time," Cesar snapped, his words dripping with resentment.

With that, he stormed off alone, leaving Al in shock. Memories of their initial meeting resurfaced, reminding Al of how abrasive Cesar could be.

As the hours trickled by, Al returned to his burrow only once to clean his helmet and canteen and refill it with Ever-life water. He mostly spent his spare time on the field, engaged in the only genuine breathing exercise he knew.

Occasionally, he would take short naps, seeking brief respite amidst the training. Unlike the others, who merely showed up for the run and returned to work on their tasks. The team had noticed that Matthew had disrupted the rhythm, lagging by approximately 40 minutes.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

As the hours ticked away, each member improved at their own pace. Surprisingly, Yusuf had managed to slash his time down to an impressive 37 minutes, firmly securing his position at the top. Not far behind, Jin had reduced his time to a commendable 40 minutes.

Cesar and Al, though progressing more slowly, still managed to make some headway. Cesar had trimmed off an additional 2 minutes, achieving a time of 41 minutes, while Al followed closely at 54 minutes.

Ellie and Louis fell in between Al and Cesar regarding progress.

However, Matthew struggled, inadvertently impeding the team's overall time. Despite Yusuf's mentoring efforts, Matthew lagged at one hour and thirty minutes.

The constant running, lack of adequate rest, and the weight of the individual tasks they had to perform began to take their toll on everyone except Al, who had no pending task.

As the second day of running neared its end, Al sat alone in the training field, sipping from his canteen. The effects of the Ever-life stone had significantly diminished over the past two days, but Al could still sense its subtle influence.

"Given how things are going, Yusuf is likely to win that Ever-life stone," Al mused. "Since his outburst and refusal of my help, he hasn't spoken more than a sentence to me. Good thing I'm running last. If anyone but Cesar is in the lead, I will shed this armor and give it my all."

A few feet away, Louis lingered. Al had become a constant presence for anyone waiting to run. They had all made assumptions about Al's situation, with some speculating that he couldn't afford a housing unit.

Meanwhile, Ellie was already returning, her appearance noticeably less chubby in just two days.

Louis approached Al, preparing to take her position. With a swift slap from Ellie, Louis propelled herself forward, launching into her run.

It was their ninth lap, and everyone's times remained consistent with their eighth lap, except for Cesar, who managed to shave off another second.

Wearing a soft smile despite her sleep-deprived state, Ellie remarked, "It's fine. You don't have to give me the time for this lap. It doesn't count."

Al responded wryly, "Yeah, I figured everyone would be holding back until the last lap." Al got along better with Ellie and Jin than the rest of the group, apart from the cold-shouldered Cesar.

"So, you plan on running with that thing on again," Ellie commented, referring to Al's armor. "I heard you might take it off on the final lap to gain a boost and win."

Al replied, "Maybe." Ellie studied his expression momentarily, attempting to discern a definitive answer from his vague response.

Realizing it was futile to read someone clad in armor, she turned and left, leaving Al alone in the field again. It was going to be Matthew's turn to run.

Al let out a tired yawn and settled himself on the ground. Despite feeling drowsy, he knew he couldn't afford to nap since his turn would soon come after Matthew.

The real reason he avoided sleeping in his housing unit was a source of embarrassment. Haunted by relentless nightmares and unwanted memories, he found solace in keeping himself awake.

For now, his focus remained solely on his training.

His goal was to achieve a time of at least 40 minutes while wearing his armor unless Cesar failed to surpass Yusuf. In that case, Al would have no choice but to shed the armor and attempt to defeat Yusuf himself.

Lost in his thoughts, Al was snapped back to reality as Matthew emerged from the direction of the hospital. He was walking with a slight limp. Al observed the miserable-looking boy's puffy eyes and flushed cheeks.

"Everyone else has adapted to the running for the most part, except for Matthew. He seems to be struggling just to maintain his starting pace. Could it be his age?" Al pondered, waving at Matthew to join him.

Being the youngest, Matthew elicited empathy from the others, leading them to tolerate his shortcomings, except for Louis, who constantly expressed her disdain. Fortunately, their interactions were limited.

Al inquired about the bone fractures on Matthew's feet and asked if they had healed. Matthew looked in Al's direction and responded with a sad nod.

They sat near each other, doing no breathing exercises; they just sat quietly. Like a still lake, Al saw a reflection of hopelessness in Matthew's eyes.

"Everyone around us is growing stronger, except for you," Al uttered, swiftly cutting off any response from Matthew. Memories of a recent incident flooded Al's mind. "Do you recall, just two days ago, what Romann said about your father? "

Matthew's gaze turned bitter, and tears welled up. "Of course, I remember. It's just... my body; it's different from everyone else's. I am trying; I swear I am!" Matthew said, attempting to maintain his composure.

Al removed his helmet, casting a pensive glance before speaking again. “Hey, I believe you. What I'm trying to get you to understand is that you have to be able to back up what you say. That means you have to know what you're capable of, and the only way to know that is through constant failure. If I'm honest, I think you're too young to be here. You should consider this a failed attempt and go home and study it for a few years, then give it another try. It's fine as long as you never give up.”

Although Al's words sounded reasonable, deep down, he recognized he was trying to cut Matthew down. Witnessing Matthew's frailty and weak state stirred an unfamiliar disgust in Al.

Apologies were on the tip of Al's tongue, but Matthew interjected, "I understand what you're saying, but I made a promise to my father that I would try my hardest. He was so thrilled to send me here..."

In the distance, Louis emerged, gradually approaching.

Matthew closed his eyes, gathered his resolve, and opened them, ready to head towards the track. "Matthew, wait!" a voice called out; Matthew almost froze.

That voice—it was unmistakable. He never expected him to appear right before he was about to run.

"Al! Take Matthew's place. You will be running in his place from now on." Romann commanded, leaving Al in a state of shock. He promptly obeyed, setting off to meet the approaching Louis.

"It's not that he's entirely correct. Your heart's reaction to his words revealed the truth to me. Regardless of age, your heart is not yet attuned to allow your Will to awaken. You require more experience to fortify your heart. It would be best for you to train alongside your father for a few more years and then return." Romann instructed the young boy.

Perceiving Matthew's heartbeat loud and clear. It confirmed to Romann that he had made the right decision. He could discern relief and slight disappointment within the boy's heartbeat.

"Prepare to gather your belongings. I will make the necessary arrangements for your journey. Also, pass along the message to your father that I advise him to slow down a bit, as you will soon surpass his ancient butt," Romann said, prompting a nod and a soft smile from Matthew before the boy turned and departed.

Romann pivoted just in time to witness Al sprinting in the distance. Thoughts swirled within his mind, "To Matthew, Al's words may have appeared as guidance, but it was evident that he aimed to push a fragile kid further to the edge. He probably finds satisfaction in kicking people when they are down. I'll have to keep an eye on him."

Lost in contemplation, Romann noticed Louis approaching him. In his signature fashion, Romann vanished in the blink of an eye.