Chapter 3: I Hate Morning Exercise
Translated and Proofread by Vine
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NTR Academy, Korea Branch.
1st Year Boys’ Dormitory, Room 302.
“…Ugh.”
Current time: 5:57 AM.
I stared at the clock, my head barely poking out from under the covers. ‘Three minutes…’ Why did I always wake up a few minutes before the alarm? Closing my eyes was futile; sleep evaded me. Just as the first hints of drowsiness crept in, the dormitory speakers blared to life.
“I hate this…!”
I really, really hated this. Why was I doing this again? It felt like I’d been re-enlisted the moment I’d been discharged.
“Hooo… it’s cold…!”
Grumbling aside, my body moved on autopilot. I trudged to the training grounds in front of the academy and took my place before the instructor—no, the teacher.
“Chrono, you’re first again.”
“Good morning, Teacher.”
The teacher, her short hair practical, wore a training suit. A whistle hung around her neck; her build was lean, not overtly muscular.
“Where is everyone? They’re all missing…”
“Ah… haha…”
As the teacher had pointed out, I was alone on the training grounds. A few more students would trickle in soon, but for now, it was just me. The perks of early training, perhaps? Unlike the other cadets, still adjusting to academy life, the teacher seemed to appreciate my punctuality since the first week. She clapped me on the back.
“Good. A weak body can be forgiven if the spirit is strong. Consistency is key to improvement.”
“…Thank you, Teacher.”
Her encouraging smile only served to dredge up memories I’d rather forget.
“Haaa… it’s cold…!”
“Sleepy…”
“How much longer…?”
More cadets began to arrive, grumbling amongst themselves. The teacher checked her watch and promptly started the warm-up exercises.
“Chrono from Class B will lead the chants! Understood?!”
“What?!” Why me?
It began with light warm-ups. It escalated into a full-blown cardio hell marathon that didn’t end until 8:00 AM.
“Focus! We still have an hour left!”
“Agh…!”
“I heard that!”
“Yes, Teacher!!”
Damn marching. Shitty morning exercises. My previous body might have handled it better, but this scrawny frame was on the verge of collapse after a mere ten minutes of running.
Chronos’ Blessing (E)
– Lord Chronos’s blessing, taking pity on their apostle.
– Maintained while the activity continues.
– Effect: Accelerated Recovery Speed (Minor)
I’d begged Chronos for pity, for mercy. The reason was simple: I was just an ordinary person. There were limits to what I could endure. So please, I’d pleaded, be lenient, even if I messed up…
“Everyone, focus! Thirty minutes left! Thirty minutes!”
“Yes!!!” A crappy quest. This was what Chronos considered “support?”
“Alright, that’s all for today! Dismissed!”
“Haaaa…!” I barely finished the march, collapsing onto the ground, gasping for breath. My legs felt like jelly.
“…My god.” Just how much suffering did Chronos intend to inflict?
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[Apostle of Chronos][Rank: E(EX)]
– Controls Time [Limit: 30s/30s]
– Can increase rank through missions [12/50]
I stared at the skill window and exhaled. This was an investment, for both Chronos and myself. If I increased my rank, regardless of the method, I’d survive. Actually, I was incredibly lucky. Before this possession, I was a fresh-faced rookie with zero real-world combat experience. Now, I was one of the few apostles on Earth, blessed by a god. The latter definitely had better career prospects. The only downside was the constant threat of being sliced to ribbons.
“I was watching you today, Cadet Chrono. Good tenacity.”
“…Teacher?” I looked up. The teacher offered me a water bottle. “Thank you,” I mumbled, accepting it gratefully.
“Ahhh…!” The cool water was a welcome relief, soothing my burning muscles. “Thank you, Teacher.”
“You’ll be here tomorrow, too, right?”
“That’s…” Teacher, tomorrow is Saturday…
“Of course! I’ll definitely be here!”
“Huhu. Good. Good tenacity.” The teacher smiled and walked away. I stared after her, muttering under my breath, “But… it’s the weekend…” Surely she’d go easy on us tomorrow? It was a futile hope, but I clung to it nonetheless.
“Hooo… time to wash up.” Classes started around 10:00 AM. If I showered, ate breakfast, and got ready, I’d be just in time.
***
Name: Chrono (Class B)
Rank: —
Strength: 7
Stamina: 14
Agility: 13
Intelligence: 31
Divinity: 20
“Pathetic…” Was 10 considered average for a normal adult? Most cadets entered the academy with an average of 20-30, and the heroines sometimes reached 40. My stats were abysmal, particularly my Strength. What could I expect with this physique? It was laughably low. How had I even managed to beat Mars? I glanced at the bracelet on my right wrist and considered my options.
“First… I absolutely can’t skip training.” Skipping morning training was out of the question. Consistent attendance for a week guaranteed a stat increase in either Stamina, Agility, or Strength. Every point was precious; I couldn’t afford to miss out. Besides that, there was additional physical training in the afternoon, plus weapons skills practice. ‘Weapons skills, physical training…’ And I still had to train Chronos’s power. Just thinking about it made me feel overwhelmed. I deactivated the bracelet and lay down, trying to catch my breath.
“I want to die…”
“If you want to die that badly, spar with me first, then die.”
“…Mars?” What was she doing here? I turned my head slowly. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Mars sat down beside me. “Let’s spar. Today, after school, at 6:00 PM. The second training room, right? There’s a sparring area there. Be there.” She stated it as a fact, not a request.
“No.”
“Yeah, as expected of a warrior, of cour— Wait, no?!”
“Yeah. No.”
I didn’t want to fight. I was a pacifist.
“Why? Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to…”
“No, give me a real reason!” Mars grabbed my shoulders and shook me roughly. I felt bile rising in my throat.
“Are you avoiding me because you won once, and you think you’ll win again? You bastard, you think I’m that easy?!”
“That’s not it.”
“Then what is it?! Why are you avoiding a spar?!”
“…I don’t want to pass out again.” Even assuming I’d wake up after ten minutes, like last time, I’d actually been out for three hours, missing the rest of the exam. The teacher had simply handed me my acceptance letter and dorm key and vanished. It was fortunate they’d looked favorably on my performance in the spar; otherwise, I would have been relegated to Class C. Not that Class C wasn’t already the lowest class. ‘There aren’t many cadets…’ Perhaps it was because this was the Korea branch. Even in the NTR Academy world, those blessed by gods were rare. Maybe it was due to the limited landmass, resulting in a smaller student population. I tried to wriggle free from Mars’s grip. Let go. Let go, let go, please! My shoulders ached.
“So, will you spar?”
“…You’re a crazy sparring maniac.” Had she heard a word I’d said? “Didn’t you see me during the morning run? I almost died.”
“I was sleeping in this morning.”
“…”
“Sufficient rest is essential for a strong warrior!” You were just sleeping in. Sensing my unspoken disapproval, Mars tightened her grip on my shoulders one last time before letting go.
“Fine, whatever. We’ll have to spar during class anyway, so we can just do it then.”
Was that so? I’d have to avoid any classes with her. Usually, Chronos would force a mission on me, but perhaps because I’d already won once, there was no notification. Avoidance was my only option.
“Today’s lecture is on Weapons Skills. Close Combat cadets, follow me. Ranged Combat cadets, follow the assistant instructor.”
“Yes!” I stood up with renewed purpose. Mars glanced at me, then headed towards the teacher.
“Ranged Combat lecture. I’m Chrono.”
“Hey!!!” I followed the assistant instructor without hesitation. Mars was scary. I didn’t want to deal with her right now.
“You… you! I’ll definitely catch you! Next time, you’re not getting away!”
“…Good luck with that.” I ignored Mars’s shouts and followed the assistant instructor out of the classroom, along with the other Ranged Combat cadets from Classes A and C. We reached the Ranged Combat lecture hall.
“Hello…?”
“…” Hera’s apostle. Juno. I’d avoided the Apostle of Ares, only to run into the Apostle of Hera. …No way.
“Agh!” Why me?!
At death is no longer a problem.