Alexandre immediately rolled over his shoulder and used the momentum to rise back to his feet. He barely wasted a heartbeat before wiping the dirt of his pants and resuming his run. However, it took him a confused thirty seconds of analyzing the event to realize that his "fall" had absolutely been unnatural, rather than some accident or carelessness.
But this was almost more surprising than an accident—though Alexandre's senses were superhumanly sharp, he hadn't noticed any movement or action from Jack Blades that would've suggested interference. So what exactly had happened? What power had been used?
Alexandre had, of course, fallen behind the professor during his fall. He now increased his speed to reach the professor again. However, he'd learned his lesson—he no longer tried to outpace the professor.
***
After another ten minutes of running, Jack Blades began to slow down. Shortly, he came to a complete stop, and Alexandre followed suit.
For his part, Alexandre was fascinated by the sensations in his body. With his [Immortal] skill in its current state, his regeneration was even more effective than it had once been. He felt every muscle in his body burning, but the pain was mere information to him, so it was nothing more than a tingling sensation. Even then, once he stopped running, the sensation began to fade.
Yet the tingling was still fairly strong. How badly would the other Hunters be suffering without the same powers and experience that Alexandre had?
Well, it seemed that he wouldn't find out for a while. Alexandre and Jack Blades stood alone, very far ahead of the rest of the group. While he waited for other students to arrive, Alexandre curiously studied Jack Blades's appearance, both the cloak that covered his whole body and the intriguing mask that covered the man's face.
The only thing that was visible behind that mask were the striking fluorescent blue eyes which marked all Hunters drawing upon their power.
But before Alexandre could inspect any further, the sound of crashing vegetation came to his ears: the noise of the first students arriving.
One appeared, and then a few more, and then staggered clumps of students wavering and barely able to keep going in a straight line. As Alexandre had predicted, it was like the remains of a battlefield: Many students were barely able to stand, struggling hard just to walk, with some tripping and dragging themselves back up their feet. It was, ironically, as though the Hunters had become a pack of Zombies!
When the students saw their instructor ahead, they sighed in relief. The first to reach Jack Blades and Alexandre crashed to the ground, writing as they labored to breathe. Some vomited or cried at the intense muscular pain. Without a doubt, this was the most intense physical effort any of them had ever made in their lives.
Marlon and William both appeared. Neither of them looked as bad as the worst of the students, but neither did they seem to be having an easy time. Marlon, in particular, seemed to be on the verge of collapse.
Jack Blades waited several minutes, until no one else seemed to be coming. Then he produced his tablet and input a command. "Hmm. 1,013 students have passed. This generation is impressive indeed."
Once the weakest of the students seemed to have caught their breath, Jack Blades raised his voice and announced, "I trust that each of you have learned something essential today. It's a bad idea to travel long distances at top speed in your combat gear. At least, this is true for those as weak as you are now. Don't worry—I don't fault any of you for being poor worms so soon after your transformations. It would be foolish for me to expect you to be anything less than pathetic."
The professor's words stabbed the students like barbs. Though his tone was amiable, he certainly wasn't putting any effort in sparing their feelings!
Jack Blades continued, "I had originally intended to give 50 points to any student able to keep up with me. In truth, I'd expected there would be more than one single man capable of doing so. In light of your mediocre performances and his success, I've decided to give him 100 points, instead. Furthermore, because I feel so sorry for you worms, I've decided to give each of you 10 points as well."
Alexandre immediately received a notification.
╔════════Aurora Tactical System V0.23.1══════════╕
╟─╼ [Info]: You've just received affiliation points.
╟─╼ [Affiliation]: Hunter Academy (1 year)
║ ╰╼ [Academy Points]: +100 points
╚═══════════════════════════════════════╛
Everyone's face went pale or red—and all of them were various expressions of rage. Many broke out with shouts of frustration or anger at Alexandre, assuming that he'd sucked up to the professor during the run and that he was somehow cheating. None of them realized that this was all manipulation on the part of the professor himself!
Jack Blades shouted for quiet, then continued in a more even voice. "Anyway! While we're out here, I've decided to teach you all the first skill which manipulates spacetime! Nothing too complicated, I assure you, but something even the stupidest among you should be able to grasp. This technique is called 'Spacetime Inventory!'"