Three kilometres sounded manageable.
At first, Jaehyuk looked almost relieved.
"Three kilometres after yesterday's mountain climb?"
He glanced at the others.
"Easy."
Trainer Song gave us one rule.
"Conversational pace."
Jaehyuk blinked. "That's it?"
"For now."
For now.
Nobody liked those two words.
We started downhill.
Almost immediately, the difference between me and the others became obvious.
The alphas weren't sprinting. That's what made it worse.
They were simply running.
Woobin had an efficient, measured stride. Sejin maintained an irritatingly elegant pace. Jaehyuk and Seungho could actually talk while running. Yuhyun looked comfortable.
And Trainer Song?
He ran at the front.
Older than every contestant by decades, yet his breathing was nearly silent.
I was internally offended.
The first kilometre downhill, I survived reasonably well.
Then the path leveled out.
That's when the stamina difference became obvious.
My breathing grew heavier.
