Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

The cold water was relentless, but I refused to let it deter me.

My strokes became more powerful, my kicks more forceful. I was gaining ground, inch by inch, until I was right behind the leading group.

My body screamed in protest, but I ignored the pain. I couldn't afford to stop now.

I was not a professional swimmer nor did I have good swimming experience except knowing the basics of how to swim which allowed him to avoid submerging into water.

So I was in a slightly disadvantageous position than others as I was overtaken by others who were behind me.

Still, I increased his strokes to move forward as fast as possible using the strength he could muster.

I started catching up with those who had gone beyond me and slowly closed behind them.

With a final burst of energy, I pushed myself harder, my strokes becoming more desperate.

The riverbank was within reach, and I couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

My muscles burned, my lungs ached, but I kept going, driven by sheer willpower.

Finally, my hand touched the riverbank. I pulled myself out of the water, collapsing onto the ground with a mix of relief and exhaustion.

My body trembled, the cold seeping into my bones, but I had made it. I had crossed the river.

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"Fuck this cold."

I curse under my breath as intense cold hit my body like sharpe swords, the cold was intense...If only I could use little mana of mine I would be fine but because of those Instructor I can't even do that.

But thankfully...My body which has strength of [D] rank body mange to handle that cold.

After taking few more breaths...I looked back at the river...there many cadet's still trying to swim but most of them drowen themselves in river as their entire body was frozen.

But still there were some who mange to swim in this cold water river and among them was a one monster.

I could see Adrian, he was mostly two hundred distance meter away from me.

My lips twitched seeing him so close even after falling behind.

I dragged my tired body mustering all his strength to move forward.

I arrived in the middle of the forest, an area that looked dense at the sides but very few trees were in front of them with a curved path line. The path of the forest was cleared for them to run through.

The moment everyone got out of the river they started running on the path.

This was the last section one has to pass before arriving back at the starting juncture and also it was our final leap to get out of this nightmarish training for today which has tested the limit of one patient.

Lucas pushed himself on the path where there were no traps laid unlike the previous ones so he didn't have to be on the edge on this final track and as only a few hundred meters left to end this training he can finally get out from here.

Some of them were walking at this point panting heavily.

Some of them who walked out of the water lay on the ground instead of moving due to their fatigue.

Lucas sped up as he saw the finish line with Ray staring at us from the distance while some slowed down in their steps as they were at the limit.

Tap.Tap.Tap.Tap.

Several feet of tapping on the ground reverted which woke Ray from his thoughts as he looked at the faces of the approaching ants who were able to reach this point faster than their peers.

Lucas sped up seeing the plains up ahead as he could see the plain field before him and started sprinting faster.

At this point, Lucas was right beside Sunny and both of them shared a brief nod, Sunny gave a bump on Lucas's shoulders as they ran forward.

Sunny looked back to see Adrian catching on to them and looked at Lucas's eyes. They both shared the same thought that is to reach the line before Adrian and ran ahead with the little amount of strength left within them.

While Adrian saw the silhouettes of Lucas and Sunny speeding up, frowned as he understood, both of their intentions were clear: they were determined to reach the finish line before him.

Despite the fatigue weighing him down, Adrian pushed himself harder, his competitive spirit igniting a final burst of speed. The three of us were now in a dead sprint, each of us driven by a mix of exhaustion and determination.

I could feel my legs burning, every muscle in my body screaming for relief, but I refused to slow down. The finish line was within sight, and I knew this was the moment that would define our effort in this grueling training.

Sunny was slightly ahead, his powerful strides eating up the distance. I matched his pace, our breaths ragged and heavy. Adrian was gaining ground, his presence a constant reminder of the challenge we faced.

Ray's figure at the finish line became clearer with each step. He stood with a clipboard, a stern expression on his face, evaluating our performance. I knew he was looking for more than just who finished first; he was assessing our determination, endurance, and ability to push through adversity.

With one final, desperate push, I surged forward, my vision narrowing to a tunnel with the finish line at the end. Sunny was right there with me, both of us giving it everything we had. Adrian was just behind, his own sprint relentless.

We crossed the finish line almost simultaneously, our bodies collapsing onto the ground as soon as we reached the other side. The cold from the river, the pain in our muscles, and the sheer exhaustion of the ordeal all hit at once, but there was also a profound sense of accomplishment.

Ray walked over, his expression softening slightly. "Good job, cadets," he said, his voice carrying a note of approval. "You've all shown remarkable resilience and determination. Take a moment to rest. You've earned it."

As I lay on the ground, gasping for breath, I glanced at Sunny. He was just as exhausted, but there was a smile of triumph on his face. We had pushed each other to the limit and made it through together