One hour had passed since the children started running around the gymnasium.
Vikram and Ahmed were still running at the front, and the collaterals, vassal children, and recommended children were neck-in-neck behind them.
Of course, not all one hundred sixty of them were running anymore.
Those who lacked stamina had already given up and were resting in a corner, and the number of quitters kept increasing even now.
"Haaaah."
Alberad's eyes quickly moved left and right, despite lying down on the platform and yawning.
'The sixty-first guy gave up earlier than his stamina could last, and the sixty-second one lasted longer.'
He was grasping all one hundred sixty children at a glance with sleepy eyes.
However, stamina wasn't the only thing he was analyzing.
'There is no point in just checking their stamina.'
How much stamina children had depended on how they grew up. Honestly, they were all similar except for the two and the roughly twenty-best children.
Even if their stamina was similar, some children gave up as soon as they were out of breath, and some kept running until the end, while their sides pinched or they cried.
'That difference is the most important thing here.'
Just like there were people who gave up easily, there are also people who never gave up. That difference in willpower that looked small at present would grow to be tremendous in the future.
Stamina could be increased, and talents could be nurtured.
However, it was extremely difficult to develop perseverance.
Children who never gave up wouldn't give up in the future either, and children who gave up easily would grow up to be adults who did the same.
Of course, there were exceptions, as some would realize and change their way. However, that was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.
If you can't bend a plant, how can you bend it when it grows up into a tree?
Like that , if the children can't correct their way early on, it would be very difficult to do so in the future.
So, looking for a child who already had perseverance and willpower was the easiest way.
'This is pretty much set in stone now.'
Alberad smiled. Over half of the children had already given up, and the rest were getting slower as they tired.
As Alberad was preparing to end the exam, the pitch-black-haired child running in the back group crossed his sight.
'Ashoka Maurya.'
He was the only child who had exceeded his expectations.
Alberad's eyes shone like stars.
'I don't understand it.'
Ashoka had run out of stamina a long time ago. He shouldn't have been able to stand, because of the shortening of his breath. However, he kept moving his feet relentlessly, without breaking his posture.
'This can't even be called perseverance anymore. This is obstinacy.'
He had seen many brilliant talents, throughout countless battlefields.
Among them, there were swordsmen who would stand at the top of the continent with their swords, and magicians who would change the standard of the world with their magic.
But none of them had as much persistence as Ashoka.
He kept running even after running out of stamina, especially when he was a six-year-old child who was born with a terrible constitution.
That wasn't possible without having gone through the hardships of life. He couldn't figure out just how a sheltered child-like Ashoka possibly ended up with such obstinacy.
'Hmm…'
He looked around the entire gymnasium.
Vikram and Ahmed, who were staying at the top despite saving their power, were amazing. However, that was nothing compared to Ashoka, who was still running stably with no trace of exhaustion.
The children of noble families who made fun of Ashoka were drooling as they ran as if they didn't want to lose to him.
"Haha."
Alberad's lips bent into a smooth arc.
"It's going to be fun teaching them."
* * *
"Hmm…"
Vikram kept turning back, as he couldn't focus on running. And each time, he had to frown.
'Why? Why is that guy still running?!'
Ashoka.
He was someone who looked like a weak child.
Staying in the tempest manor for more than half of his life, he thought Ashoka would be very different compared to himself who had to work up his way due to being an Illigimate son.
Although Ashoka was also a bastard son like himself, he was a prince.
And the privileges he got as a prince were incomparable to Vikram who was born to a maid.
Maybe it was due to jealousy, Vikram felt an aversion toward Ashoka.
'He shouldn't be in any condition to run right now…'
Looking at Ashoka's outer appearance, he had a thin body, a handsome which didn't give the impression that he was strong, which misdirected Vikram's thoughts.
When Vikram saw him for the first time, Ashoka looked even more pathetic from his perspective while wearing a flowery ring.
He didn't even have the slightest sign of having trained.
'And yet…'
He didn't give up.
The children of noble families, whose talents had been acknowledged were already giving up.
And yet, he was still running with an expressionless face like he wasn't even affected by anything.
'And the person next to me, he is also annoying.'
Ahmed, who was the only person who kept up with him, and Ashoka, who he thought would drop out, were both irritating.
'Alright. I'll show you the clear difference.'
Deciding that he would discourage both Ahmed and Ashoka, he fiercely kicked the ground.
Swoosh!
Using aura, he amplified the muscles in his thighs and calves. Running at a speed that could create tunnel vision, he looked back.
'Those brats?!'
Neither Ahmed, who he thought of as a rival, nor Ashoka were showing any kind of reaction.
They were both running at their own pace, and it was the other children from noble families who were carelessly following him.
"Tsk!"
Vikram clicked his tongue and increased his speed.
He was now far ahead of Ahmed, who used to run next to him, and he had already run past Ashoka a long time ago.
However, Ashoka and Ahmed's speed didn't change. It was like they were telling him that they weren't interested in him.
'Kuh!'
Realizing that he was ignored by those inferior to him, anger simmered inside him.
'Let's see how long you can keep up that act.'
* * *