Austin won?
While others merely registered a hint of surprise and astonishment, Harry and Lester exchanged glances, sensing each other's shock.
Perhaps others couldn't understand their reaction, but that was because they hadn't spent as much time with Austin as they had. The two had been roommates with him for three months, leading to a fundamental understanding between them—or at least, that's what they believed until now.
Austin who now stood on the finish line felt strange to them. Not only had his entire appearance transformed from a tan complexion to a pale white, but he also seemed to possess a strength and stamina that he had never displayed before.
"Lester, I think you might be right. Perhaps Austin did get injected with a super soldier serum, just like you guessed," Harry mused, smacking his lips.
However, in response to Harry's words, Lester shook his head.
"No, I'm leaning towards a different theory now. I believe Austin got kidnapped by aliens last night, and the Austin we're seeing now is the result of various experiments they conducted on him."
Harry became speechless.
...
""HAHAHA! I nailed the bet! Five hundred dollars in my pocket! I'm rich!" The person who first declared his support for Austin shouted loudly and smacked his thighs a few times, shattering the silence.
"Damn it! Who was the one that said William was going to win? I will beat him! I came here just for a bet, and now I've lost a hundred dollars!" Another person cursed with an ashen expression.
The few supporters of William turned to each other, confusion flashing across their faces.
"Did William lose to a nobody?"
"No way, his opponent doesn't even look like he's broken a sweat. How could William lose? Has he always been this weak?"
"It's not that William is weak, but his opponent is too strong! I bet you'd be out of breath after just one lap with their speed. That guy, Austin, is a monster."
"Yeah, I recalled the reason William got the vice-captain position, despite not being that skilled, was because his stamina and speed were ranked first among the other members."
"Hey, William looks like he's about to faint. Someone, go help him."
...
On the track, Austin, who had become the subject of wonderment, remained oblivious to the commotion he caused because his focus was entirely absorbed in the changes happening to his body.
At this time, he seemed to receive an energy feedback that remarkably accelerated the process of his morphing. His body felt noticeably stronger, advancing at a pace almost ten times faster than his usual.
Most importantly, one of his senses underwent a huge change. It was his sight!
Presently, he felt as if the entire world had upgraded from 360p to 1080p-HD. Everything became so clear and detailed! The sensation was so overwhelming that he just stood there with a blank face.
After a minute or so, he finally exited from his trance-like state. Typically, humans struggle to recognize objects from a distance, and the same applies to identifying people's faces. However, now it was an effortless task for him. He could even pick out Harry and Lester among the dozens of spectators with ease at the distance of nearly a kilometer.
He exhaled a heavy breath and mused. 'What an incredible sensation. Is this what it feels like to possess godly eyesight? I've always envied anime characters with techniques like this. It's a shame, though, that it doesn't come in a package with unique ability, like x-ray vision or something similar.'
'Anyway, where did this mysterious energy come from?'
As soon as that thought surfaced in his mind, he immediately got the answer. Within his subconscious, he saw something—it was a rune. Strangely, he could understand it immediately, as if he were familiar with it. The rune spelled 'Pride.'
'Pride?' Austin took a couple of seconds for his mind to register. 'Is this supposed to be the feeling or sensation Alysia referred to when one completes the seven sins? I've completed the sin of pride, and is this the result of it?'
Upon reflection on his actions, he recognized that his entire discord with William could be considered a manifestation of the sin of pride. He had been arrogant throughout the encounter, and from another perspective, his actions could be seen as displaying a sense of superiority and a high belief in his abilities. In essence, he just exhibited a prideful demeanor.
What he still didn't understand was why it was so easy to complete the sin. From Alysia's tone, he had thought it would involve something like a ritual or setting up a grand stage.
If committing the sin of pride was this easy, what about the other sins? Particularly, sloth.
As he contemplated, he observed William's lackey approaching the track and offering support to William, who appeared so fragile that a gentle breeze could whisk him away.
Snapping back to reality, a smirk adorned Austin's face. "William, how about you start crawling around the campus like a dog from now on?"
William, already weakened by the aftermath of the race, couldn't help but grow paler. He could already envision his future campus life if he fulfilled the bet. No one would fear or respect him anymore. Instead, he would be remembered as the ultimate loser, having lost the bet and being compelled to act like a dog as punishment.
Furthermore, those around him would likely start recording his actions and sharing them online, turning his shameful display into a global spectacle. It was destined to go viral, leaving his reputation irreparably tarnished.
Thinking of this, William felt it was better if he just died instead of living such a humiliating life.
...
On second thought, why should he obediently fulfill the bet? After all, wasn't he accustomed to breaking rules and stuff?
Exactly, why should he care?
People who had caught wind of their bet could easily be silenced with money. Wasn't that his usual tactic—silencing others with his money? Even if Austin remained adamant about revealing the bet to the public, what could he do alone? Could his influence and wealth match up to him?
As he thought of this, he regained his composure and arrogance, fixing his gaze on Austin. "I admit I underestimated you. Congratulations, you've won this time. But next time, you won't be as lucky as today," he declared, then promptly walked out of the track, assisted by his lackey.
Austin was left stunned by this display.
Is he seriously intending to walk away like that? How shameless! He must be a descendant of a golem to inherit such a thick face.
"Where do you think you're going? Are you planning to conveniently forget our bet?" Austin sneered.
"Bet? What bet are you talking about?" William replied with a straight face.
"Haha, I should have seen that coming from you—the one who only talks big. Next time, I suggest you wear a skirt," Austin snickered, not bothering to stop him from escaping. After all, he had never been truly invested in the bet. It was William who had proposed it, so Austin had merely agreed to spice things up without expecting much. And as he had guessed, William never had the intention of honoring the bet if he happened to be the loser.
Austin wasn't disappointed, as he had somewhat expected this outcome. Moreover, he was more interested in learning more about his eyes and eager to see how far they could see. What were his limits?
William, supported by his lackey almost stumbles on his steps when he hears Austin's mockery. He couldn't help but turn around and glare sharply at Austin. However, he refrained from retorting and merely showed his middle finger.
Those who had eagerly anticipated witnessing the spectacle of William crawling like a dog were left disappointed.
The girls who cheered for him found it challenging to continue supporting him. The current William, whose appearance was already unsightly, now appeared no better than a hooligan after his disgraceful act of not acknowledging the bet. They were well aware of the exchange between Austin and William regarding the bet. Seeing William walk away shamelessly eroded any positive image they might have held of him.
Shortly afterward, their attention shifted back to Austin, who appeared remarkably clean despite his outstanding performance in the race. The girl now found the sight of Austin, with his face lightly coated in sweat, more pleasant compared to William.
Not only does he look handsome, but he's also incredibly talented!
The big-chested girl, who served as the referee, shared the same sentiments as the other girl. She now regarded Austin in a different light.
Seemingly thinking something, she blushed, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and called out somewhat anxiously, "A-Austin."
"Yeah?" Still basking in the joy of his gain, he turned to the girl with a smile etched on his face.
Misinterpreting his expression as happiness upon seeing her, the girl hastily blurted out, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
Austin looked lost for a moment but quickly noticed a peculiar expression on the girl's face. He was about to respond when another voice chimed in from behind him.
It was a meek voice but at the same time filled with unhidden possessiveness.
"H-he does! He's mine!"
Inexplicably, he found the voice somewhat familiar. Swiftly turning around, his eyes widened in shock at the person standing before him.
"S-Satella!"
'