Chapter 3 – School Days
Chapter 3 – School Days
After over an hour of intense training, Zane finally came to a halt. His entire body dripped with sweat, muscles twitching from the exertion. Even though the morning sun had barely risen, Zane never held back during these sessions. This was his routine, his ritual—to push his body to the limit, again and again. Until it breaks and reconstructs once more, stronger and sturdier.
He was seventeen, just months away from turning eighteen. His body was still developing, and he intended to squeeze every ounce of growth out of it while he still could.
'My progress is so damn slow...' he thought grimly, staring down at his trembling hand. A familiar frustration settled in his chest. He clenched his fist, but the feeling didn't go away.
Despite years of training with unwavering dedication, Zane had seen barely any improvement in this period of time. His physique remained lean and wiry, and he was shorter than most of his peers. While others had shot past him in height and strength, he had stayed behind, seemingly forgotten by the same force that gifted them with easy growth.
He stood at a modest 170 centimeters—average at best. Meanwhile, many of his classmates had already crossed 180 or even 190. It was a stark difference that became more obvious with each passing day, especially during physical activities. And no matter how hard he pushed himself, he couldn't close the gap.
It was discouraging—no, infuriating—to watch others surpass him so effortlessly. They laughed, joked, lived carefree lives, while Zane toiled away, bleeding and sweating with little to show for it. Still, he refused to stop. Every morning and every evening, he trained. Rain or shine, school day or holiday—it didn't matter.
For Zane, this wasn't just about ambition anymore.
Becoming a Dimensional Knight had once been a childhood dream. But now, it was the only reason he kept going. The only thing keeping him from falling into the abyss.
He had to become one—had to. Failure wasn't an option. If that dream died, then so would he. Because there was nothing else left for him.
Nothing else is worth living for.