Ingenious Application

"How did he manage to get ahead? Does he really think he has the ability to compete for the first place?" 

After shaking off Bernard's overconfident attack, the formation gradually stabilized. The extended period of running caused the gaps between them to widen.

In the final group, there were about ten people left, with their Force generally around 93. Among the middle-ranking individuals were Danny, Viola, and others. At the front were five individuals from the class with Force levels over 98, along with someone named Duke.

Therefore, Duke stood out conspicuously in this group. Although Viola had missed the chance to get to know Duke yesterday, she had decided not to hold grudges over these small matters.

Danny, a campus entrepreneur, had advised Viola to build a better relationship with Duke, but Viola didn't see the necessity. She believed that having a Force value of 90 wasn't anything special in a war academy, and they already had a plan in place to secure victory.

The noon sunlight was glaring, and the summer heat felt like being roasted by flames. Even those classmates who had previously mocked them were no longer relaxed, for they had just finished a class and came out to find these people still persistently running. They themselves didn't possess such endurance.

Their clothes were soaked with sweat, sticking to their bodies. Duke also found breathing a bit difficult. He wasn't sure of his current Force value; although he had absorbed some crystals and raw stone to enhance himself yesterday, compared to the two geniuses, Clark and Louisa, he was still slightly lacking.

Duke thought about using a Force-enhancing pill. It only required him to reach out and take it. But he also had an ace up his sleeve, an Awakening Skill called " Recovery of Qi." Although it would consume a large amount of Force, it could almost restore his energy and vitality to their peak. 

However, he wasn't planning to use this technique—not out of honor or competitive spirit, but because he had lost those ideals three years ago when he and his sister were left destitute. He was uncertain if he could hide the use of his Awakening Skill, especially from the observant William.

Awakening with less than 100 Force was big news, even in a top-tier city. He was ill-equipped to handle such an investigation now. Although geniuses who awakened at 15 existed, awakening before reaching the critical value was rare.

"This guy seems a bit odd." William was also under the sun, gradually becoming concerned. These students were performing better than he had expected, especially Duke, who had persisted for so long, displaying his strength.

"Half an hour left." Time was pressing, and William understood that the final showdown was imminent. To claim first place, no reserves could be held back. If you waited until the last lap to accelerate, others might have some energy left, and their burst might surpass yours. As expected, Clark and Louisa started to accelerate, gradually pulling away from the others.

"They're sprinting now." The people in the last group had essentially given up on vying for first place, but some in the second group were desperately catching up. Seeing Clark and Louisa speeding up, they felt despair.

However, Viola and Danny hadn't given up. They were fixated on one person in the first group: Edmund! As the person with the highest Force value in this small circle, he had a solid 99.

Seeing Edmund join in, Viola and Danny exchanged glances and smiled, feeling relieved. They knew William's plan, and the final reward would likely end up with Clark or Louisa, but they had found a loophole—a way to have a chance at obtaining the Yuan-Replenishing Pill.

The executor was Edmund. Although Clark and Louisa were surprised by his inclusion, they remained silent. Both of them had surpassed a Force value of 100, and the difference between them was negligible. At this point, any small movement could affect the final outcome. However, the gap gradually widened. The top two contenders were Louisa and Clark, and it was hard to tell who would come out on top.

The third place was occupied by Edmund, while the fourth place was seized by Duke. Although Duke's appearance was surprising, the focus was still on the top three competitors.

"The gap is indeed quite large." Duke remained calm internally. Even if he couldn't obtain the Yuan-Replenishing Pill, the the Yuan-Increasing Pills were also a decent option. 

William noticed that Edmund's face had turned purple-red and furrowed his brow slightly. Pushing one's limits was a strategy, but it also required prudence. As he watched the student, he wanted to ask, did he really intend to compete for first place against the top two contenders?

Just as he was considering whether he should intervene, a scene that shocked him played out. While running, Edmund reached into his pocket and took out a red pill, swallowing it without hesitation.

"I..." William couldn't help but sigh, then widened his eyes and muttered:"These students are shrewder than I was when I was in school! I think something's off!"

Someone had actually taken a pill! The red pill he took was the secondary reward, the Yuan-Increasing Pills. Although it was valuable, it couldn't compare to  the Yuan-Replenishing Pill and was relatively easy to obtain. 

For a student at this Force level, it could almost instantly restore depleted Force, and even leave some surplus! Although Edmund had only taken half a pill, it was already enough. His complexion returned from flushed to normal, his whole demeanor became vibrant, and his steps became light.

"Haha, this is great!" Edmund was brimming with Force, and the fatigue that had been present vanished instantly. While accelerating in his sprint, he admired Danny's and Viola's scheme in his mind. 

"Taking pill may not be wise, but it is not prohibited in the rules stated by the instructor. As an instructor, and on the first day in office, it's not possible to go back on it. There is indeed a gap between him and Louisa and Clark, but half a pill is enough to bridge it.

"Wow, Edmund is actually so strong?"

"didn't you see he took a pill?"

As the competition neared its end, students who had just finished class started gathering around. Clark and Louisa, who had been competing against each other, were surprised to see Edmund catching up. However, they were both highly competitive individuals and unhesitatingly accelerated once again. But no matter how hard they tried at this point near their limits, they couldn't keep up. Edmund was pulling further and further ahead.

"He took a pill?" Duke noticed Edmund's actions and his interest was piqued. At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the top three competitors, and Duke was half a lap behind these people, making him inconspicuous.

"Well then, thank you." Duke decided to activate his Awakening Skill, " Recovery of Qi."