-THUD! -THUD!
The two started to run at a decent pace right from the start. At the start of the contest, Karn was trying to provoke Zero.
"Are you sure you can run carrying those weights? I will give you a handicap if you can't handle it."
Karn said while walking at the same speed as Zero. He was greatly underestimating Zero.
With 300kg on there with 10x the gravity, even Rank-C + Karn felt somewhat struggling to run properly.
He assumed that Zero would be suffering since he was used to training in 10x gravity and his rank was higher than Zero.
Normally, people didn't have enough endurance to train in a gravity room, so many would find training in those places difficult and would avoid it.
Getting stronger by ranking up was easier compared to struggling in the Gravity Room.
And even if a person had the will, not many places had those gravity rooms. Even if they have, renting those places was very expensive.
Karn guessed Zero falls into the first category. A person who had no will to properly train in the Gravity Room.
The reason for his assumption was that Zero's skin was too fair like a protected maiden to have gone through any training.
In reality, Zero's skin was like this because of Saintess's healing which had healed his body to the point that even his calluses disappeared.
Previously Zero had many scars and wounds on the body plus calluses on his hand due to his reckless training. But those all disappeared after the Saintess's healing.
While the result of his training didn't go away, the proof of his hard work has surely disappeared.
That's why Karn thought of Zero as a person who is using his background to get through the backdoor.
He didn't think Zero would be able to endure even 5 minutes of running with those 300kg weights on his body.
"Yes! What type of handicap do you want to give me?"
Zero instead of getting angry at his underestimation agreed that he needs a handicap. He knows that Karn was trying to make him angry by talking to him.
However, it would only work against someone who is bloated with pride and ego, it was not effective against Zero.
It was not that Zero had no ego or pride but due to constantly being on the verge of death, he has matured enough to not get blinded by pride and ego.
What could pride do when fighting against Rank-A Devil Contractor and Rank-S Ice Griffin? Not to mention countless suffering as Emperor of Destruction.
Pride could only make death quicker and nothing else.
"Wha-! Shameless!"
Karn can only utter those words. He never thought that there was someone who could ever be a person to accept a handicap in a contest.
Even if agreeing does get you the advantage, what about pride? Is getting the win with a handicap be honorable?
With Saintess and many Holy Guards as witnesses, you would only get humiliated by accepting a handicap.
He never except that his word which was only meant to be for provocation could be accepted by Zero.
( Does this guy not have pride? Are you even a man? )
Karn thought angrily.
However, Zero thinking was different. As a person who had been thrown into the Forest of Death, he had to use every means to survive.
Before becoming the strongest, he had to use every underhanded method to win against his enemy.
So, that's why Zero more than welcomes the opportunity for his enemy to be at a disadvantage. That's why he unhesitantly accepted Karn's words.
Another reason was that he was already at a disadvantage since he was Rank-D+ which is one major rank below Karn. Zero getting a handicap would not necessarily be mocked.
And the chance of winning is also increased with a handicap. He will be more than happy to get a handicap as long as he wins.
Even if others scorn him for winning because of a handicap, as long as he wins, he would be able to use the place to train.
He didn't care what others thought, he was going to stay here temporarily anyway.
Though it seemed that he had to wait whether he would get a handicap.
Karn didn't speak anymore. He just wanted to make his opponent angry, not expecting that the other party is shameless to even think of getting a handicap.
"So, What handicap will you give me?"
Zero asked Karn.
"...."
Karn stayed silent. He had never actually thought of giving a handicap since all he wanted to do was make Zero angry.
"Oh my, don't tell me you have been just speaking bullshit. A man such as yourself, who is serving in this holy place is actually lying to others. What a sin."
Zero took the opportunity to mock Karn instead. He knew that Karn's words were just to provoke him. But who told him to utter that nonsense in front of him.
( This Shameless guy, really… )
He didn't think that Zero could ask him to give him a handicap. He thought he would provoke and humiliate Zero but instead, it seems that he is getting insulted.
"Nevermind, I don't need a handicap to defeat a person like you."
-DASH!
"SHIT!"
Karn got angry. It looked like he could not even give a handicap to a guy who was Rank below him.
Actually, there were many things he could have said or done, instead of getting humiliated like this. But since he was baffled at Zero's unexpected reply, Karn could not think properly.
He had turned stupid by Zero's shamelessness.
He could only grit his teeth and endure the humiliation. He ran faster as he felt the need to win to wash away his earlier embarrassment. Losing will only add to his insult.
Zero kept a calm face as he ran like he was used to this type of training. Before being stuck in the dungeon, Zero could run up to two hours with 100kg on his body.
This was before he ranked up. Now with his stat increased with mana herb and ranking up, he was able to run with 300kg like he used to with 100kg.
He didn't struggle much after getting used to the weights which didn't take long. Finding the appropriate pace, Zero began running at a pace that was neither too fast nor too slow.
Zero thought of this as training and had forgotten that he was competing with someone. He was happy looking at his own progress.
He noted down in his mind the changes he feels. It is his first time really looking at his own improvement since ranking up.
-HUFF! -PUFF!
"Are you approaching your limit?"
It was not until Karn came to talk to him, that Zero came back to reality.
It had been 30 minutes since the contest began, and Karn was sweating a lot. Normally he would be only using 200kg and he could run for one hour.
Now, he was carrying over 300kg and he was honestly reaching his limit. He was also running at a pace that was faster than his usual due to being desperate to win.
He thought that Zero who is only in Rank-D should not even last for 5 minutes. Now, it had been 30 minutes, and rather than Zero, it seemed that he was reaching the limit first.
"No! Maybe after 30 minutes."
( What? 30 more minutes? )
Karn felt spurting blood when he heard Zero. He could only go for 5 more minutes at most. It was impossible for him to last another 30 minutes.
"Impossible! You are just bragging."
Karn shouted. How could he believe that someone who is younger and had a lower rank could outdo him so much?
Even among the same rank, he was considered an elite. With Church's merciless training, he had only become stronger.
How could he accept that a person whose skin was like he had never wielded a weapon could defeat him?
"Impossible? It's just running another 30 minutes. Don't tell me you are reaching your limit?"
-GULP!
Zero hit him where it hurt the most.
"Hehe… How about it, I give you a handicap?"
Zero said with a big grin. It was his way of getting back at Karn who had been provoking him.
"And I am not lying like you either. I can add another 100kg on my body if you want."
And he didn't forget to mention Karn's previous shameful action.
"..."
Karn could only silently retreat. He didn't want to get any more insulted by Zero. Zero was surely provoking and insulting him at the same time but he could not retaliate.
Zero was provoked by saying that he will offer a handicap just like Karn had done and also insulting him for reminding him of his previous blunder.
However, Karn could not answer in the same way as Zero.
Zero could definitely give him a handicap.
However, even with Zero giving him a handicap, Karn was not going to last more. If it was at the start or if Zero also seemed exhausted, he might have a chance at winning with a handicap but it was not the case.
Zero, like he said, seemed to be able to run for a few more laps. Getting a handicap at this point seems a little pointless with his condition.
Adding to that, it will only add more insult to his already pathetic situation. Getting a handicap from a person you looked down at and also to the person who has a lower rank than you.
Even getting a win with a handicap will only further add to his humiliation. There was also his fellow guard and Saintess watching them.
He ran as he looked at the Zero's figure which was running further and further away from him, Though, in reality, it was him who was getting slower and slower.
( What a monster! Looked like this world has given birth to another ridiculous monster. )
-BANG!
With a loud sound which was due to his 300kg weight, Karn fell down.
The audience outside could not believe what they had just seen. They didn't know about Zero but they did know Karn well.
Though a bit arrogant, he had the strength to back it up with hard work accompanying him. They didn't think that today they would suffer another humiliation.
That also from a student of Professor Mia who had first humiliated them. The student and teacher really gave them a wake-up call.
They didn't have a chance against Professor Mia who had been ascended to Rank-S - and even her student at Rank-D+ won against their Rank-C+ guard.
The judge, Zain, looked at Karn with pity and then at Zero with complicated emotions. Karn was one of the most talented guards on his team.
Though Karn was just Rank-C, he was also young compared to other guards whose age was over 40. By their age, Karn could become another Rank-A Holy Guard leader like him.
However, the same Karn has been completely defeated by an outsider who is younger than him.
-SIGH!
He could only accept the result. He vowed to train his team more strictly from now on. Not only did they not listen to their master, Saintess but also got himself humiliated.
"The contest is over. Winner, Zero Elea!"
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