The students burst down the track, some running as fast as they could while others opted for a slow jog.
Lucian's group was part of the former, sprinting as fast as they could immediately after the whistle was blown.
Since the main event of today's gym class was combat practice, they would need to normally break off into pairs of 2, to have a fair 1 on 1 bout.
There was only one issue with this.
Their group had 3 people…
Meaning one person in their group had to match up with their other classmates.
Classmates with far better abilities than them.
No one in their group wanted to take the fall, forcing them to have a friendly competition instead.
The loser would be forced to fight with their objectively stronger classmates.
Normally their brotherhood was a bond strong enough to tie them together through the most challenging of ordeals, but now?
It was every man for himself.
James, being the most athletic in the group slowly managed to put a lead between him and the other two, much to their dismay.
But it was something both of them saw coming, considering James's physical prowess being the highest in the group.
Now it was just between Lucian and Ethan.
One of the two would have to take the fall…
As the three completed their first lap, a voice yelled out behind them.
"Owww!"
While they were intrigued by the source of the sound, they didn't bother to check.
Since the voice wasn't screaming, it probably wasn't too important.
This race was their top priority at moment.
However, for Mr. Driscoll, hearing one of his students cry out in pain was something that he needed to investigate asap.
Being their teacher and the only adult nearby, this was his job.
"Are you all right?"
He reached a student who was clutching his knee with a pained grimace.
"I think I got a cramp!"
Mr. Driscoll gave a sympathetic smile and helped the student up.
"Just walk it off Mark, give it a bit and you'll be fine."
"Okay… Thanks teach!"
Mark hobbled back to the course track, but the instant he turned his back to Mr. Driscoll, a venomous smile broke out on his face.
"Sorry Mr. Driscol, but you are far too naive!" he quietly muttered to himself.
Mark turned his head to notice one of his classmates trip and fall, hitting the ground face-first.
"I see Andrew finished his part properly as well!"
fake-limping over to his fallen classmate, Mark was able to get a close look at his face.
It was none other than Lucian!
***
DURING HOMEROOM A FEW HOURS AGO
"Listen, Mark, I want you to distract Mr. Driscol in Phys-ed next period," Andrew muttered in a hushed voice.
"Hmm? Why is that?" Mark asked with a perplexed look.
"Do you remember what we're doing in Phys-ed today?" Andrew asked.
"Well yeah, combat training. The one actually useful thing they make us do," Mark responded, "but why does that matter?"
An angered expression broke out on Andrew's face.
"I want to beat that F-rank trash up. There's no way he deserves our goddess. Their group has 3 people, so one person would need to be the odd one out. They usually solve this by having some kind of activity before the combat training."
Andrew's mouth curved into an icy smile.
"On the way here I passed by Mr. Driscol, and overheard him talking to another Phys-ed teacher. Apparently they might be opening the running track today since it was such a good day."
"So… My bet is that their group will do some kind of race to decide who will fight against the other students. I say we rig it so that Lucian loses, and then beat him up after. As long as it's not too major, we can just say it was just a sparring accident. What do you say?"
Hearing Andrew's proposal, Mark's eyes went wide.
"Are you trying to make us go through a second iteration of the goddess's wrath? Are you crazy? Also, what's with that anime-level deduction? Do you think you're some famous detective whose alias is only a single letter?"
Andrew hurriedly covered his friend's mouth.
"Shh! Not too loud, we need to keep this under wraps!"
Mark peeled Andrew's hands off of his mouth.
"Why are you still trying to mess with those two? Just leave them be. It's none of our concern. Messing things up for the goddess is the last thing I want right now. Unlike you though, I just don't want to get involved with her at all. I just don't understand how you can still simp for her after what she did that day…" Mark shuddered as he remembered the occurrences of that day.
"My reason for admiring the goddess is not important right now. What I need is someone to help me out with this."
Mark shook his head.
"I fail to see what part of this affects me. I don't want to get in any unnecessary trouble so you can go simp for your queen."
A vein bulged on Andrew's forehead, but he took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
He pulled himself closer and whispered something in Mark's ears.
"Are you serious?"
Andrew nodded his head.
"One hundred percent."
Mark looked at Andrew with a greedy smile.
"This changes everything! Ok, I'm in."
"Great!"
As the two were finishing up their discussion, a small fireball flew their way from the front of the classroom.
***
A FEW MOMENTS AGO
Lucian was slowly beginning to fall behind Ethan as the two continued to race down the track at top speed.
'Curse the sun! If only I could run at my full speed!'
Lucian was starting to take back his earlier statement about being weakened under sunlight…
It was hell.
Lucian used the feeling of powerlessness throughout his whole life, but this was beyond irritating.
'Screw this, there's no way I'm going to lose this!'
Lucian inhaled deeply.
"I'll keep quiet about you checking me out in the locker room if you take the loss her-"
Lucian suddenly felt like his two shoes were stuck together as if something was holding the two together.
Losing his balance, he fell forward face-forward.
Only to watch Ethan run past the finish line, before falling to the ground with a *Thud*.