Chapter 349

“Run, blue team! Faster!”

“I’m almost catching up! Go, Kim Kang-min!”

At the midpoint of the race, a 3rd-grade student passed the baton to a 4th grader.

‘The gap is about half a lap, right?’

Observing the runners, I examined the conditions under which the magic tools operated and their effects.

It turns out that the running speed isn’t greatly related.

The mini parachutes behind them opened and folded repeatedly depending on the density of the aura being used.

Using the aura was beneficial in principle, but if I kept it up, I would tire out quickly.

Moreover, since I had to run 600 meters instead of 400, I had to manage my stamina as well.

“Wowwww!”

The second-to-last runner of the blue team received the baton.

Soon after, the white team’s 6th-grade ace passed the baton and collapsed inside the track.

“Haa… haaa… I can’t catch up! So fast!”

As a 3rd grader, I fell to the very back of the line.

Thus, our white team was supposed to have all the higher grades moved up one slot, and the gap should have been closed by now, but…

The blue team was still half a lap ahead of us.

It seems that the fall of the 1st-grade student at the start had a very disadvantageous effect.

“Uh… I’m sorry…!”

Next to me, a 1st-grade student was sobbing as if the world had ended.

She must have fallen really hard; her knees were still covered in wounds.

While the school nurse treated her, the students participating in the relay were comforting her.

Before stepping onto the track, I pinched the cheek of the sniffling girl.

“Eek?”

“We haven’t lost yet. Don’t cry.”

It’s too harsh for the burden of defeat to fall on just one person.

I need to make sure that doesn’t happen.

At the starting line, a noticeably tall senior was waiting.

“Noname, junior.”

“Yes?”

“Though it seems the outcome is somewhat decided, let’s not give up and run well until the end.”

“Uh, okay.”

“Then I’ll go first! Sorry for the outcome!”

His voice, gravelly and manly, sounded just like an uncle.

Is he really a 6th grader?

Without any time to think, the runner from the blue team entered the straight course first.

Clang-clang—

The giant senior deployed five parachutes as he prepared to start.

His legs, which were a whole 40 cm longer than mine, easily crossed the starting line.

As soon as he received the baton, he pushed off the ground with explosive leg strength, kicking up a cloud of sand.

Boom-!

I closed my eyes against the dust that billowed up and waited endlessly for the baton.

Ten seconds left.

These ten seconds felt incredibly long.

Theoretically, the maximum human speed is known to be 60 km/h.

The ability to cover 100 meters in just 6 seconds.

The key is to contract the muscles to their limits, shortening the time the feet are in contact with the ground.

But due to my short stride and the heavy magic tools hanging from me, even maintaining 30 km/h was difficult.

‘Making it to the finish in 72 seconds? That’s too long. I need to get in under 50 seconds at least.’

Even concentrating all the aura to activate all the obstacles still wasn’t enough.

So, there’s only one answer.

“Noname, catch the baton here!”

If I can’t evade, I’ll crush it.

[Sloth: Medusa – Phenotypic Transformation]

The moment the hard plastic object came into my hand, I unleashed all the aura, focusing it on my legs.

Puffpuffpuffpuffboom-!

Forty golden ring cases were simultaneously torn open, and a parachute woven from etherophobic magic was deployed behind me.

At the same time, green sparks erupted, and the transparent parachute slowly turned black.

“Waah!”

With a shout of determination, my body shot forward rapidly.

My limbs, which had felt heavy as lead, gradually became lighter.

The parachute, transformed into a friend-like magic material, tangled together and became as firm as a ball.

With the surface area drastically reduced, there was no longer any need to consider resistance.

“Waaahhh!”

The roars and cheers of the students filled the grand sports field.

At the end of the straightaway, the start of the first corner.

Should I slow down and take the inner course, or maintain speed and take an out-in-out line?

‘The correct answer is to maintain this speed and take the inner course.’

External manifestation of aura.

I added a prosthetic limb to my right foot, extending its length by 10 cm.

The sharp spikes dug deep into the ground.

At the same time, I sharply leaned my body to the left and exited the corner without slowing down.

I could already see the 6th grader entering the second corner in the distance.

I still have a long way to go.

‘This won’t do… faster, quicker!’

[Appetite: Erisiton – Metabolic Control]

An overwhelming sense of hunger and fatigue washed over me.

More than anything, it felt like my heart would explode.

Already at my maximum heart rate, I forced the aura to squeeze my heart, artificially increasing blood flow.

I had barely made it halfway, but my entire body felt as if it were in a furnace, and sweat poured down like a waterfall.

But the more calories and aura I burned, the harder my thin legs would become like steel springs.

I tackled the second corner with the same method at an incredible speed.

The astonished expressions of the teachers passed by like a panorama.

Swoosh—

Back to the straightaway.

But this time, the roles had changed.

Both my stride and time in the air were overwhelmingly longer.

“How is it already!”

The 6th grader, quickly turning around to check behind, flailed his arms even harder.

‘Looks like I’ve made him anxious. Clearly, he’s overextending.’

Now, the final third corner.

The student, squeezing out every bit of energy, rushed through the corner.

But with each step, I controlled the blood flow throughout my body, and with each subsequent step, I burned all the remaining aura.

Finally, his shadow loomed directly in front of me.

The shadow in front moved to my side,

And the shadow that had previously been beside me was now behind me.

As I exited the corner, he was already behind me.

The finish line was now just ahead.

‘Alright, I won…!’

In that moment.

My vision went dark, and everything was blocked out.

A transient black darkness, a phenomenon where blood temporarily does not flow to the retinal arteries.

In the brief moment my focus wavered, I made an uncharacteristic mistake.

I didn’t even have the luxury of sensing my surroundings with the aura.

All I had to do was continue running straight in the same posture.

On the straight section, about 30 meters remaining.

My average stride is 2.8 meters.

That means… 11 steps.

So… 2 seconds.

‘One… two… now!’

The eleventh step left the ground, and with my legs losing strength, I flew into the air.

Please let me have already crossed the finish line.

[Transmutation: Barrier Setup]

[Casting: Double Air Layer Barrier]

Casting the magic I had imagined in advance, I surrounded my body with a large plastic ball.

The ball bounced and rolled on the ground several times.

I too rolled inside the ball.

Then I stopped in front of a place bustling with people.

“Kyah!”

Voices of cheers and screams reached my ears belatedly.

“Ugh… this is exhausting.”

As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw fluffy clouds and a high sky.

I raised my wrist to check my watch.

[200m – Laptime]

[1: 00:13:857]

[2: 00:13:104]

[3: 00:12:905]

[Total: 00:39.866 s]

A desperate sigh escaped me.

“Ha ha, Noname really fell behind. Being slower than a cheetah is useless.”

I spoke with a self-deprecating smile, breathing heavily.

I couldn’t quite tell if I was disappointed in myself or if the lingering remnants of the other participants were mocking me.

* * *

The academy’s sports day began with the exploits of Noname and ended with the exploits of Noname.

“The MVP of the Seviron Academy Sports Day is… Noname from 3rd Grade A! Please come up to the stage.”

Having worn down the soles of my shoes in the relay, I climbed the stone staircase barefoot.

Principal Gu Onyu handed the trophy to me and bluntly said,

“Don’t you have any sense of moderation?”

It was a moment that could have led to serious injury if I hadn’t generated the bouncy ball barrier at the last minute.

Turning back to take a photo, snap.

And I responded to her with a smile.

“Next time, we should set the rules a bit stricter.”

“I’m thinking about it. I’m also considering banning your participation from next year’s sports day.”

“That’s too much, don’t you think?”

“Taking another picture, Noname, look ahead. Alright, say ‘kimchi!’”

“…”

As expected of Principal Gu Onyu, who loves the old ways, the Polaroid photo popped out immediately.

As I received the photo, trophy, and prizes, my classmates welcomed me back.

“Noname, you don’t have shoes right now, do you?”

“Uh. I don’t mind walking barefoot.”

“No way! We’ll carry you to the classroom on our shoulders!”

“What?”

Noname’s body was lifted into the air.

Balancing awkwardly on the hands of the children, she glanced around nervously.

“Okay, just put me down—”

“Here comes the strongest animal on Earth! Everyone, clear the way!”

“Huh? Isn’t it the fastest, not the strongest? Noname is fast, right?”

“Yep, strongest too. They say Noname can tear a polar bear apart.”

“Wait, is that really true?”

“Guys, come on, stop making things up!”

When Noname chimed in, the children’s faces fell, and they loosened their grip.

“Noname can’t tear apart a polar bear?”

At a friend’s innocent remark, Noname chuckled and shrugged her shoulders.

“Why would I tear apart a cute polar bear? A dragon, maybe.”