The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 144: To the limit

Chapter 144: To the limit

More than twenty people were gathered on the training ground when Hex arrived. This training facility was only available to those with the rank of officer.

Based on what he was told, Hex knew that a person had to render special merits to achieve such a rank. All officers were Knights but not all Knights became officers.

The only exception ever made to the rule was Althea. She gained the rank of officer as a Squire. Hex didn’t know the exact reason but the respectful gazes she received from the others proved that she deserved the rank.

Hex took the attention he received in stride as he walked to the middle of the ground, joining Althea.

"Where is Hestia?" He asked, not seeing their female companion anywhere.

"She is sleeping. She said she doesn’t wish to rub her body against other sweaty people," Althea said, a light smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Do you guys need a room?" A woman asked, teasing them with a giggle.

"Shut up Cella!" Althea shouted back at the woman but her gaze was warm. Hex understood they were most likely good friends.

"Attention!"

Right then, one of the men at the front shouted, causing all the Hawks to stand upright and in neat lines. Hex stood out like a sore thumb. Only when Althea signaled him to stand behind, did he move.

A large man with broad shoulders and muscles that seemed to stretch his clothes to the point they could tear, stood at the front. Hex’s senses immediately picked up on the man’s strong energy fluctuation. His energy was far more abundant than Hex had sensed from other Knights.

’He is probably already a Refined Knight,’ Hex concluded, looking at the man warily. After reading The Knight’s Path, he knew that becoming a Refined Knight didn’t solely depend on talent. Resources and a firm resolve were also required.

"Even the slowest of you should have noticed a new face between us," the muscular began. "Let’s welcome our guest by training like there is no tomorrow. The best bonds are after all forged through blood and sweat."

A collective groan escaped from the people on the training ground. Hex noticed they looked at him like he destroyed their lives.

"Don’t mind them. Vice Commander Marzo likes to train people to the point of near death. He believes that to be the only method in which the training is ingrained into a person’s subconsciousness."

Althea whispered so Hex could understand what he was getting into. But Hex didn’t mind. ’This might be exactly what I need. Pushing my body to its limits. I am more interested in knowing where those limits actually lie.’

They began the session. The Vice Commander started with warming-up exercises such as stretches and joint rotations. Even though they weren’t hard, doing them for an hour felt excessive. By the time they were done, Hex saw a few officers sweating heavily.

After that, the real training session started. After a while, Hex understood why people groaned and looked at him like he was a villain.

The training was repetitive but intense. There were only short breaks after each hour-long session. They had to sprint, hop, plank, do push-ups, and worst of all, keep doing each exercise till that muscle group failed.

Hex didn’t have breakfast but after a few hours, he was happy not to have eaten. Others, people who had eaten, were vomiting. And even then, the Vice Commander made them rejoin after they emptied their stomachs.

It was past midday when everyone was on the floor. Only the Vice Commander and Hex were still standing. The Vice Commander panted heavily but seeing Hex holding on, his fighting spirit was ignited.

Hex felt his body nearing breaking point but he didn’t wish to give up. ’I would rather faint here than discover my true limits amidst enemies or other dangers.’

"One more round?" Vice Commander Marzo asked loudly.

"Make it two!" Hex replied equally loudly. Their exchange caused the other officers to shake their heads. They thought their Vice Commander was the only insane man but it seemed there was another. And they happened to meet each other during this training session.

They repeated a round, doing everything from start to finish. By the end of it, Hex and Marzo were trembling like leaves in a storm. But neither were giving up.

They went one more round. Each exercise seemed to be the last but under the stunned gazes of everyone, they still managed to finish everything.

"O-One more...round," Marzo said, squeezing the words between gasps to regulate his breath.

"M-Make it...two," Hex replied, almost failing to release his voice, fighting to breath.

They took a step to start one more round but fell on their faces.

"Push!" Hex hissed, without moving an inch, barely conscious.

"Harder!" Marzo whispered, his eyes closing.

They both lay still, only their soft breaths could be heard.

"IDIOTS!" Cella shouted, getting on her feet and rushing toward the men. She was a Healer Knight.

"What kind of morons are these two?" She asked Althea while releasing a white light, enveloping them within. The others groaned and grinned at her question.

"Don’t heal them too quickly, Cella," one of the male Knights said. "If they get up now, they will start again. Leave them unconscious as long as you can."

Everyone nodded, agreeing with the Knight.

"All right," Cella said with a grin. "But your boyfriend is still remarkable. An idiot but a strong idiot. He is perhaps the only one who could push our boarish vice commander to the point he fainted."

"He isn’t my boyfriend," Althea mumbled. "But he is indeed remarkable."

She looked at the peaceful features of the boy she met a few months ago. It seemed ages ago but the boy had been barely strong enough to exchange blows with her. Now, he was already strong enough to rival her. And Althea even suspected that he still hadn’t revealed his limits.

’If he continues like this, he will soon be stronger than others. The question is, will those in power allow another person outside their control to become strong?’