Yusuf strode purposefully to the center, positioning himself where Cesar, Louis, and Matthew stood. He cleared his throat and called out, "Wait! You three, come back! Let's plan this out properly so that nobody ends up dragging the group down. We'll gather everyone's times first and work from there. But for now, please stay."
Cesar frowned, and Louis let out an audible groan, both disregarding Yusuf's words. Only Matthew turned around, acknowledging the call.
Al agreed with Yusuf and shouted at Cesar, "You're getting ahead of yourself, you wild beast. Get back here!" In response, Cesar yelled at Al, "Hey, who are you calling a wild beast, you stupid tin can!"
Yusuf was about to continue, but the exchange between Cesar and Al derailed his intentions. He hurriedly approached the two, standing in the middle, and pleaded, "Come on, guys, no fighting. We're supposed to be a team, remember?"
Louis rolled her eyes at the group. Meanwhile, Cesar and Al, who had been facing off just moments ago, burst into laughter after hearing Yusuf worried. Matthew joined in, stifling his laughter behind his hand to avoid Yusuf noticing.
Yusuf looked at everyone, then turned his gaze to the two he thought were about to come to blows. Louis, noticing his perplexed expression, explained, "They're not fighting. They're friends. Haven't you noticed how they're all over each other? They're probably just not used to being apart for so long."
Cesar frowned at the comment and reflexively responded, "Aww, feeling left out?" Louise's face matched her fiery red hair, but before she could speak, Al chimed in, "I guess now is a good time to share our experience. Believe it or not, Cesar and I have known each other for over a week. Yet, I know I can trust this guy with my life because of what we've been through. So, my advice to all of you on how to defeat a Chimera in the Mental Domain would be to find a competent and reliable partner instead of thinking you're better than everyone else." As Al finished speaking, the group had regrouped, and their attention turned toward Cesar for his account.
Cesar relaxed, taking a deep breath. "So, apparently, if you haven't awakened your Will, these creatures are completely invisible to the average human. And there I was, fighting alongside a guy I had just met, battling an invisible creature spewing acid..." Cesar vividly explained every detail of the fight, capturing everyone's undivided attention, including Louis's.
Surprisingly, Cesar proved to be a captivating storyteller, and even Al learned a thing or two from hearing Cesar's perspective of the battle.
Jin made his way back; his body was drenched in sweat, and he struggled to catch his breath. Ellie readied herself for her turn to run.
Just as Jin slapped her palm, Louis mockingly shouted, "One hour and nine minutes! A whole twenty minutes slower than our second runner. Looks like there's no breathing technique to make you a better runner, Haha." Jin ignored her taunts as he settled down and began his recovery breathing exercise.
Meanwhile, Cesar also found a spot to sit and engage in the breathing exercise he had acquired from Myra. Al sat next to Cesar.
Gradually, the group fell into a state of quiet preparation and rest. Al decided to approach Jin, settling beside him. He retrieved his C-stone and patiently waited for Jin to complete his breathing exercise. Though Jin was aware of Al's presence, he ignored him.
Time slipped away swiftly, and eventually, Jin opened his eyes to find Al saying. "Was that one of the breathing exercises from the Evergreen Leaf?" Jin responded promptly, "Yes, it's meant to aid recovery and provide sustenance without needing food. I'd be glad to teach it to you. I'm willing to trade the breathing exercises I've learned for 50 merits each or something worth the same."
Al smiled under his helmet, remarking, "I only know one technique. I discovered it in an ancient book I stumbled upon in a cryptic library." Al twisted the truth to capture Jin's attention, hoping to get just one of his Evergreen Leaf's breathing techniques.
In truth, it was more of a cumbersome ritual than an effective breathing technique. It was also extraordinarily ordinary. However, Al didn't want to diminish the potential of learning a method rooted in the Evergreen Leaf, so he sought to imbue it with allure.
Jin paused, then replied, "Hmm, tell me more." Al grinned beneath his helmet, explaining how the technique was purported to grant the endurance of stone while simultaneously replenishing one's energy. Surprisingly, it was such a common and sub-par technique that Jin had never heard of it. Jin felt a surge of curiosity.
Given their newfound alliance as a team, such a trade held the potential to foster trust between them. Jin rose and shook Al's hand, stating, "A team is nothing without trust." Al stood up, accepting the handshake, and replied, "I couldn't agree more!" They both settled back down, engrossed in discussing their trade.
After ten minutes, Cesar interjected, "Oh wow, she's almost back. She's faster than I anticipated." It was now Louis's turn to run. She stood up and began walking towards the road to meet Ellie, who was finishing her run.
Yusuf called out to Ellie, "One hour and eleven minutes! Come on, let's finish strong!" As Ellie's hand met Louis's in a high-five, she collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath. "I should have... run more," she managed to utter between her heavy breathing before slapping Louis's hand.
In stark contrast to everyone else's starts, Louis burst forth with tremendous power that her foot kicked up a dirt storm, leaving a small crater in her wake. Ellie found herself on the receiving end of a shower of dirt on her head.
All eyes turned towards Louis, stunned by her explosive takeoff. Cesar intrigued, hurried over to inspect the newly formed crater, captivated by the display of strength.
Ellie dusted off the dirt, while Yusuf commented, "It seems like she might have awakened her Will some time ago. Perhaps she'll be able to save us some valuable time." Yusuf paid particular attention to Louis, "I guess I'm not the only one who has made progress into the Physical Domain," glancing at Matthew and then at Al, who was still conversing with Jin.
Cesar and Ellie began returning to the group, only to be startled by a sudden voice. "Wow, you guys still haven't finished the first round. It's been almost seven hours since I've been gone."
Everyone jumped, turning around to find Romann standing there.
His approach had been so silent that they hadn't noticed him until he spoke. Romann walked past them, unfazed by their reactions. "Since you all seem far too relaxed, perhaps a prize will motivate you to move faster," he said, retrieving an item from a small brown pouch.
The sight of the stone he held left everyone, especially Al, in shock. The stone had a mossy green hue and bore a peculiar symbol that Al recognized.
Romann surveyed the group. "In case you're not aware, this is a rare Ever-life stone from the Evergreen Leaf. It can catapult a beginner's progress by leaps and bounds. The one who completes the fastest 10 miles will win it."
Suddenly, a competitive spirit ignited within the group. All eyes turned towards Romann, while Cesar's flames of determination burned ever brighter. Before they knew it, Romann had vanished without a trace.
Amidst the fierce drive of competition that enveloped the group, Al stood apart, not feeling compelled to join in. "Should I shed this armor and take that Ever-life stone?" he contemplated.
With determination in his eyes, he approached the resolute Cesar and whispered, his voice filled with urgency, "You must win that stone, no matter what. I bought one of those stones at Del Santos Collective. That stone imbued its essence in the water I gave you a drink of. It not only restores the body but also enhances strength and speed. You have to get it!"
Cesar nodded, his gaze fixed on Yusuf. The time he had to beat was 44 minutes. The sensation of being an underdog surged within him, a feeling he hadn't experienced in years. He didn't merely want to win; he had an insatiable need to win. The exhilaration pulsated through his veins, overwhelming in its intensity. Taking a seat, he began his breathing exercise, channeling his focus and energy towards the forthcoming challenge.
As time passed, Louis continued her run, sweat-soaking her robes. Unlike the others, she stubbornly refused to remove her robes despite the increasing heat.
Jogging at a slow pace, she grumbled to herself, questioning the vague instructions given to her by her teacher. "Why does that old man have to be so cryptic? When he told me to start running, I thought he was implying I was overweight. All I've done is weight training. This long-distance running is just stupid."
Finally, the fields came into view, and Louis picked up her pace, pushing herself to the limit. As she approached the group, she could hear their voices growing louder. She sprinted toward Matthew, slapping his palm before collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath. "One hour and twenty-two minutes," Jin shouted with a grin, announcing her time.
Yusuf, who had expected her to come closer to his own time, had already formed his opinion and returned to his deep humming. Al and Jin had concluded their business transaction, with Al now sitting beside Ellie while Jin resumed his breathing exercises.
Ellie was seated in the grass, engrossed in a red book. Al stood near her, his helmet casting an echoing, distant tone to his voice. "So, you can take the library book out?" he asked. Ellie responded softly, "Well, there is a prerequisite. You have to complete at least five tasks from the Library."
Al nodded, his helmet bobbing as he recalled a familiar encounter. "I knew you looked familiar. You were the person granting access to the library when I went in. I'm assuming that was one of those tasks you completed before meeting the prerequisite," he remarked, struggling to sit beside her.
Ellie closed her book. "Yes, you're right. But I don't remember ever seeing a person in armor like yours walking in," she said.
Al laughed, removing his helmet. "You probably wouldn't remember me, even if I wore the medical robe like I did when I entered." Ellie was taken by surprise by Al's words. She remembered Al's face and his worn-out medical rags.
"Yes, I do remember you," she admitted, suddenly averting her gaze from him. Al, sensing her withdrawal, thought to himself, "Well, I guess I'm not everyone's cup of tea. That's a reaction I'm getting more often, it seems," as he placed his helmet back on his head.
Louis, having caught her breath, spoke up. "So, we have just about everyone's time. I don't see a reason for anyone but Al to stay here." Yusuf opened his eyes and looked around before standing up and responding. "Louis, Romann came while you were running and offered an Ever-life stone to the person with the fastest 10-mile time. That being said, I agree with you. We should all know by now around what time to show up."
Yusuf walked over to Al, seeking clarification. "What should we expect, an hour and a half for your lap?" Al chuckled and replied, "More like an hour, so don't take your time because Matthew should be back soon, too."
Yusuf smiled and said, "That's fine. I'll be back in an hour then." With that, Yusuf started walking away, and the rest of the group followed suit, except for Al and Cesar.
Once they were far enough away, Al handed his C-Stone to Cesar and instructed him, "Go into my Burrow as I told you. I have an Ever-life stone in the unit's water source. Take it and use it with this." He whispered the breathing technique he had learned from Jin.
Cesar was at a loss for words, but Al quickly interrupted his thoughts. "Hey man, you said we got to have each other's backs, remember?" Cesar looked at Al with determination and immense gratitude. "Thank you, man. Seriously, I will win that Ever-life stone!"
With that, Cesar left. Al was left alone in the field, his gaze fixed on the distant giant statue of the armored man.