Timeless Assassin - Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Hidden Strength Chapter 53: Hidden Strength The moment Professor Marvin singled Leo out for the heavier vest, the whispers began.

“This guy?

This kid is Leo Skyshard, the number one ranked genius?” “Oh man.

I thought the top students were gonna get it easy, but Professor Marvin is laying into them on day one.” “I mean, it’s only fair.

If they only had 25kg, they’d finish while we’re barely at the halfway mark.” “I wanna be friends with Leo Skyshard.

They say being around the right kind of people sparks growth” As Leo heard the murmurs around him, he exhaled sharply through his nose, his frown deepening.

His anonymity was gone.

Before today, he was just another face in the crowd-one of many new students blending into the academy’s brutal ranks.

But now, everyone in the Elite Class knew his name, his face, and exactly where he stood on the rankings as a dozen new gazes bore into his back.

He hated it.

He hated being the center of attention, however, for now he had no choice but to weather it.

Then- A sudden bump against his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts.

“You hesitate too much, Skyshard.” Su Yang’s voice was casual, almost bored, as he brushed past Leo and grabbed a 40kg vest.

With ease, he slid it over his shoulders and fastened the straps, rolling his shoulders like it weighed nothing.

“It’s just 40 kilos,” he said with a smirk, staring Marvin down like this was just another day for him.

Then-he grinned.

“Yeah, I’m the best around here.

And I’m not afraid to show it.” Su Yang yelled, as a ripple went through the crowd at his bold declaration, but Marvin only chuckled, unimpressed.

Meanwhile, Mu Shen, the number three ranked student let out an exaggerated groan.

“Mannnn… what a drag,” he muttered, dragging a hand through his disheveled hair.

“I’m not even a Monarch-level talent, why do I have to do the heavy load too?” Despite his complaints, he still grabbed a 40kg vest and strapped it on, his expression making it clear that despite his protests he did not find the vest to be too heavy either.

Leaving only Leo behind.

Leo stared at the vest, his fingers tightening around the fabric as he lifted it.

Heavy… Heavy… Heavy.

At 72kg himself, adding another 40 kilograms onto his frame was no small thing.

It was nearly an extra half of his body weight, as even before he buckled it in place, he could feel the weight dragging against his arms, pressing down onto his shoulders, testing his balance.

‘This is going to be hell’ Leo realized the moment he put it on, however, there was no turning back now.

Securing the straps, Leo adjusted the vest so it fit snugly against his torso.

However, the instant he let go, his knees almost buckled.

The weight pulled at his body, demanding he sink lower, demanding he acknowledge how unnatural this burden was.

However, he did not.

Instead, he clenched his jaw, straightened his back, and refused to give Marvin or anyone else the satisfaction of seeing him struggle.

Then- “Alright,” Marvin barked, stepping forward.

“No more stalling.

Line up.” A single command, and the students fell into position, aligning into rows behind a set of marked lanes in the training hall.

Marvin pointed to the far end of the massive indoor track.

“100 laps,” he said.

“If you stop before you finish, you repeat the entire training session tomorrow.” A collective murmur of horror rippled through the students.

Marvin smirked.

“Move.” – The moment they took off, Leo knew he was in trouble.

The added weight dragged against every step, slowing his movements, straining his muscles, making him feel like he was running through wet cement.

Each breath came heavier.

Each stride felt unnatural.

As it became clear to him that his body wasn’t used to this.

As he completed the first lap, every fiber of his being screamed that this wasn’t normal, that he should stop, that he should slow down.

But he did not.

He could not- Because just a few paces ahead of him-Su Yang ran effortlessly, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement as if he wasn’t carrying anything extra at all.

Because Mu Shen, despite his constant complaints, was keeping up just fine, his pace relaxed, his breathing controlled.

And most importantly- Because Leo refused to fall behind.

Pride alone kept his feet moving.

His body screamed.

His legs threatened to collapse beneath him.

But he refused.

His pride would not allow him to be the one struggling at the back while Su Yang ran ahead, smiling like the goddamn showoff he was.

So Leo grit his teeth- And he ran.

He ran as hard as he could, for as far as he could, and continued to run even after his vision started to double and his lungs started to hurt.

“25 laps in Skyshard, how are you holding?

Do you think we should increase our pace a little?

Doesn’t this feel too leisurely?” Su Yang asked teasingly, as Leo felt his blood boil over.

If he was at peak condition, he would have smacked Su Yang in the face at this moment, however, he was not.

He did not even have spare energy to sock him in the face and hence he continued to remain silent, consistent with his character.

“Mu Shen, you know, this guy’s a mute, he doesn’t speak even if you’re chopping his dick off, a real hard-core assassin” Su Yang joked, as he glanced towards Mu Shen who was also running beside them at the head of the pack.

“Mannn… don’t drag me into your internal squabbles, unlike you monsters, I’m struggling here to keep-up with your pace.

If you increase it anymore, I’m falling behind for sure” Mu Shen replied, as he refused to play Su Yang’s game.

However, Su Yang only smirked in response.

“You’re not struggling Mu Shen, Leo here is.

Look at his legs, they’re vibrating violently, while he’s wheezing through his mouth like a drowning seal.

A couple more laps and he won’t be at the head of the pack here with us–” Su Yang said, as it was only when he drew attention to Leo’s movements that Mu Shen noticed just how hard Leo was really struggling.

His legs vibrated due to muscle fatigue with every step that he took and his lungs seemed to be desperately gasping for oxygen.

“Oh yeah, no shit, bro’s turning blue.

Looks like endurance is not your strong suit bro, better sit this one out and try again tomorrow with no extra weights” Mu Shen said, as suddenly the respect that he seemed to carry for Leo before this sentence seemed to vanish, as he no longer seemed to fear him as before.

“He’s not the only one, Half the crowd who have not been trained for endurance back in their clans have started to slow down.

A lap here is 600 meters, and after running for 15 kilometers at near sprinting speeds, most are already at their limits.

100 laps here is very harsh for the untrained, however, 100 laps with extra weights is pure hell-” Su Yang said, as just as he pointed this out, the first student burnt out and crashed, stumbling on to the mud below as his knees gave out completely.

However, while Su Yang said these words hoping to demoralize Leo, his words strangely motivated Leo instead.

‘Wait?

I’ve been running for 15 kilometres straight already?

That doesn’t seem right- it’s been only 20 minutes.

How did I manage to run 15 kilometres in 20 minutes?

That too with a vest on?’ Leo wondered, as something about this situation did not add up in his brain.

Although he had lost his memories and did not know the limits of his own strength, he did remember just how long a kilometre was supposed to be, and understood that under normal circumstances, walking leisurely would take one 15-20 minutes to cover a kilometre.

Yet, in just 20 minutes, he had covered 15 kilometers.

That wasn’t human.

That was wolf-like speed-except he wasn’t slowing down.

He wasn’t collapsing.

He was still moving.

‘My body?

Is it already this strong?

Yes I’m tired, but I’m not dead yet….

Meaning I must have trained as hell to be what I am today’ Leo realized, as his belief in his own strength suddenly skyrocketed.

He was told that he was the best assassin on Earth, but he did not know anything more about himself.

However, running today, he finally got a feel for his limits, and the real power coursing through his veins.

He was not an average human.

He was already way past that limit already.