One by one, he sealed the star power of everyone in the class. Marcus immediately began the physical training class he had spoken about.
The training zone was a circular area with a perimeter of about 1000 meters. He ordered everyone to start running along the circumference.
Every obeyed his order and started running. A boy with orange colored hair started running at high speed crossing everyone ahead. He started looking at the people behind him provocatively. Those guys also started running at a full speed. Affected by them, the rest of the class, everyone started running at their full speed. Even Raven also began to show off his speed rushing to the first place leaving everyone behind.
But Max did not run at a high speed, but maintained a medium and constant pace. He only finished running 100 meters while everyone had already crossed 200 meters. The orange haired boy looked at Max in contempt.
His name was Dukas Wall. He is from a big family of the empire. He, along with his brother are hailed as geniuses rare in the century from their family. The family focused all their resources towards them. Although his talent was slightly inferior two his brother, he did not envy him as their relationship. But when he arrived in the class, all the girls seemed to be attracted to Max's handsome face. How can he bear this when he was used to all the attention around him? He hated Max for stealing his limelight.
'Humph! What is the use of a handsome face without any strength?'
He despised Max.
All this had nothing to do with Max. Even if he knew he would probably not care about a child with an inferiority complex.
Everyone finished running a lap when they did not hear anything from the teacher, they continued running.
After an hour, about half of the class stopped running and sat on the ground exhausted while the remaining were also running while panting. Gasps of breath can be heard throughout the field.
"I did not ask you to stop."
Marcus's cold voice resounded.
"Teacher, all of us are exhausted."
Some of them responded weakly.
Max did not seem to have heard the voice and closed his eyes.
Some of the students who were on the ground started running slowly and while the remaining people who were running continued doing so.
Two hours have finished since they started running. As the time passed only ten students were running, all of them who had uneven breathing except Max. Max was still running at the same pace without showing a trace of exhaustion on his face.
"Stop running."
Marcus ordered as the remaining ten people slumped on the ground gasping for breath apart from Max who started meditating on the ground.
"All those who did not finish fifty laps can leave the class and apply for a section change. Support Star Knights who ran thirty laps can stay."
"Teacher, it is not fair. As a support star knight how can I have the physique to run thirty laps without using star power."
Someone objected.
"Fair? This has nothing to do with fair. This is actually not a physical training. But a test for your perseverance. There are Support Star Knights in the class who endured and finished thirty laps. So why are you not able to complete the task? Because you lack perseverance."
Marcus replied while looking at the girl who bowed her head after hearing him.
There are five sections for the freshmen. Students are sorted into sections according to their talents. This is Class-one which is the first ranked class among freshmen. Only people with highest talent were sorted into this class. Now asking them to leave the class is obviously equivalent to demoting them. How can they be willing? Moreover they thought the since teacher is assigned to teach them, he is responsible to train them. Now asking them to change sections is equal to failing to complete his duty. So he will definitely be questioned by the academy.
"I may not be able to shift you to other section, but I can expel you directly from the academy under unsatisfactory conduct and discipline."
Marcus seemed to understand their confidence and said in a flat voice.
The students were finally afraid and succumbed to his threat. They left the training area dragging their wet bodies covered with sweat.
Marcus looked at the twelve people left on the ground who completed his task and nodded in approval.
"Your star power will be restored within a few hours. This is just a warm up. From tomorrow the real training begins. The class starts ten minutes before the actual time. "
Marcus left under the scared faces of the students.
"My God! This was just a warm up. I don't know how tomorrow's training would be."
One of the boys with green hair shouted with a trembling tone. All the remaining students had fear on their faces. They also looked at Max with amazement. He finished 100 laps during the two hours while the second was Raven who only ran 60 laps followed by Dukas who completed 55 laps.
'Hateful!'
Dukas clenched his fists while looking at Max with bitter eyes, seeing everyone paying attention to Max.
It was already noon. Max arrived at his dormitory along with Raven who followed him staggeringly.
Max sat on the bed and started to meditate while Raven collapsed on his bed. He used his mental power to speed up his recovery. Although he was not exhausted like others, half of his stamina was consumed, he always wants to maintain his body in peak condition out of his habit. It was only after fifteen minutes he opened his eyes.
"My gosh, I finally know why the graduation rate of class one is so low."
Raven started talking, laying on the bed weakly.
"Oh?"
Max was also interested.
"I know a person who studies in the inner court. He told me that every year only a twenty percentage of students assigned to the class one of freshmen graduate from that class. Remaining students all graduate from class two, to which they are transferred. It is also because of this that Class two has the most number of students.
It is said that some people went to complain to the dean about teacher Marcus, but no action was taken.
But almost everyone who remains in the class one till graduation will advance to inner court during the year end trails."
"It seems like teacher Marcus is really extraordinary."
Max had a look of interest on his face. He was also looking forward to what he will teach tomorrow.
"But brother, you are really awesome. You ran hundred laps without being exhausted."
Raven said suddenly looking at Max with admiration.
"I practiced a Body Refinement Star Skill. So I have a little more physical strength than others."
Max replied with a smile. Since the other party considers him a friend, there is no harm sharing some trivial information.
"Body Refinement Star Skill? No wonder."
Raven looked at Max in envy, but he warned Max.
"Brother, you better not say this in front of others. Body Refinement Star Skills are extremely rare. Even my family does not have them. There are only a handful of such Star Skills on the continent."
Max took it to his heart.
'With its power and the increase in physical strength, they are indeed very precious. No wonder the old man warned me not to divulge the exercise specifically. It is better not to expose the fact that I have a body art in the future, lest it causes any troubles. But this guy is indeed worthy of making friends with. His eyes did not show any greed and covetousness when I talked about the body art.'