Chapter 99: (2) First Learning
Alexandre immediately rolled over his shoulder and used the momentum to rise back to his feet. He barely wasted a heartbeat before wiping the dirt of his pants and resuming his run. However, it took him a confused thirty seconds of analyzing the event to realize that his "fall" had absolutely been unnatural, rather than some accident or carelessness.
But this was almost more surprising than an accident—though Alexandre's senses were superhumanly sharp, he hadn't noticed any movement or action from Jack Blades that would've suggested interference. So what exactly had happened? What power had been used?
Alexandre had, of course, fallen behind the professor during his fall. He now increased his speed to reach the professor again. However, he'd learned his lesson—he no longer tried to outpace the professor.
***
After another ten minutes of running, Jack Blades began to slow down. Shortly, he came to a complete stop, and Alexandre followed suit.
For his part, Alexandre was fascinated by the sensations in his body. With his [Immortal] skill in its current state, his regeneration was even more effective than it had once been. He felt every muscle in his body burning, but the pain was mere information to him, so it was nothing more than a tingling sensation. Even then, once he stopped running, the sensation began to fade.
Yet the tingling was still fairly strong. How badly would the other Hunters be suffering without the same powers and experience that Alexandre had?
Well, it seemed that he wouldn't find out for a while. Alexandre and Jack Blades stood alone, very far ahead of the rest of the group. While he waited for other students to arrive, Alexandre curiously studied Jack Blades's appearance, both the cloak that covered his whole body and the intriguing mask that covered the man's face.
The only thing that was visible behind that mask were the striking fluorescent blue eyes which marked all Hunters drawing upon their power.
But before Alexandre could inspect any further, the sound of crashing vegetation came to his ears: the noise of the first students arriving.
One appeared, and then a few more, and then staggered clumps of students wavering and barely able to keep going in a straight line. As Alexandre had predicted, it was like the remains of a battlefield: Many students were barely able to stand, struggling hard just to walk, with some tripping and dragging themselves back up their feet. It was, ironically, as though the Hunters had become a pack of Zombies!
When the students saw their instructor ahead, they sighed in relief. The first to reach Jack Blades and Alexandre crashed to the ground, writing as they labored to breathe. Some vomited or cried at the intense muscular pain. Without a doubt, this was the most intense physical effort any of them had ever made in their lives.