The atmosphere in the gym didn't just heat up; it became positively electric. When Alexander emerged from the locker room in his gym kit, the collective intake of breath from the female population was loud enough to be heard in the next town.
The Greek God in the Gym
The white school shirt struggled to contain Alexander's frame. Every time he moved, the fabric stretched over a chest and a set of six-pack abs that looked like they had been chiseled out of marble by a master sculptor.
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Why is it so quiet? And why is everyone staring at me like I'm a five-course meal? I feel like a lone lamb in a jungle full of starving beasts. Rias is literally biting her lip, and Sona hasn't blinked in three minutes. Ciel, are you sure I look 'normal'? I feel like I'm wearing a neon sign that says 'Eat Me.']
The "Beasts" Reactions:
Akeno: Her eyes were glowing with a predatory violet light. "Ara ara... a lamb? No, Alexander-kun, you are the most delicious-looking King I've ever seen." Momo & Tsubaki: Both were clutching their clipboards so hard the wood was splintering. They were mentally fighting the urge to "accidentally" trip and fall into his arms.
The Fitness Test: 0.01% vs. The "Protagonist"
The first test was the long jump. Issei, wanting to regain his dignity after being kicked earlier, used his "reborn" knowledge to circulate a tiny bit of Ddraig's power through his legs. He jumped a respectable 3 meters—breaking the school record for a human.
"Beat that, Runcandel!" Issei sneered, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Three meters? Is he serious? A grasshopper could do better. Alright, Ciel, let's go with 0.01% of my base physical strength. If I go any higher, the shockwave might shatter the windows.]
Alex stood at the line. He didn't even take a running start. He just gave a light, effortless hop.
BOOM.
The ground beneath his feet cracked. Alexander soared through the air, sailing over the entire sandpit, over the safety mats, and landing perfectly on his feet at the very edge of the gymnasium wall—a solid 15 meters away.
The Silence:
The gym teacher dropped his whistle. The students stood frozen.
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Oops. Too much. Ciel, I said 0.01%, not 0.1%! Now everyone is looking at me like I'm an alien. I should probably pretend to be out of breath. Huff... puff... Is that believable? No, I'm not even sweating. This is awkward.]
The Humiliation of Issei
Next was the grip-strength test. Issei squeezed the machine with all his might, hitting 60kg. A very high score for a boy his age.
Alex took the device. He barely touched it with two fingers.
CRUNCH.
The metal machine didn't just record a score; it folded in on itself like a piece of tin foil, leaking hydraulic fluid onto the floor.
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Are these things made of plastic? I barely squeezed it. My previous life's body could crush dragon scales with a pinky, but I thought a modern 'supernatural' world would have better equipment. Now I have to pay for that. Great.]
Issei's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: NO! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! I'm the Red Dragon Emperor! I'm a regressor! How is he doing this without a Sacred Gear?! He's cheating! He has to be cheating!]
The Ladies' Internal Dialogue:
Rias: "Cheating? No, Issei. He's just a Monarch. And he's MY childhood friend." Sona: "15 meters from a standing jump... and he thinks he's 'out of breath.' He's so bad at lying, it's actually adorable." Venelana (at home): "Oh my... those muscles. I think I need to visit Kuoh Academy today to check on my 'nephew's' health."
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Anyway, that's enough showing off. I can feel Issei's jealousy—it smells like sour milk. Let's finish this up and get to the locker room. I need to ask Sona about that date before I lose my nerve. Being a Dragon Monarch is easy; asking a girl out is the real 100% difficulty quest.]
Sona Sitri: (Face turning bright red) "He's still nervous about asking me? My heart... I can't take this!"