87. An Unexpected Score Emerges
"Holy shit, higher than me..."
"......"
Everyone was at a loss for words as they stared at Comji.
Who would've thought those scrawny limbs could pull off a score like that?
"Heh, heh heh."
Comji limped back to us, wincing from his sore ankle, but his face was beaming with satisfaction.
"No way, Skinny, what the hell?"
Hanks, who'd taken to calling Comji "Skinny" at some point, gawked at him in utter disbelief.
"W-well, everyone was trying so hard, so I gave it my all too..."
"Kuhahat, good job!"
He slapped Comji on the back with a booming laugh I'd never heard from him before.
I wondered why he was acting like that, but then...
"If Katt and Aleck both break 90, we might snag first place."
I couldn't help but chuckle at his mutter. Ah, so that's it.
Cute. Hanks had been pretending not to care about our group's score, but he'd been sweating it deep down.
'Adorable.'
I smirked and turned my gaze forward. It was Katt's turn now.
As befitting a king mantis, Katt had a sturdy build, and expectations were high for a top score.
'Hm.'
I let out a faint groan. Katt didn't look right at all.
His shoulders were hunched, and he was deliberately avoiding looking our way where the trainees gathered. It was obvious he was cowed.
'Something definitely happened.'
As I mused to myself, Katt threw his punch.
Kuung—!
80
"......!"
"Isn't that guy from the king mantis clan?"
"Tch, all talk."
"I heard Mantis Hall's been going downhill lately... How'd a weakling like that even get sent here?"
Sure, others had scored below 80 too. But they weren't physical types, and everyone expected low scores from their clans anyway.
Katt was different. A king mantis, no less. Given their racial prestige, he should've hit at least 85.
That's why the mockery stung so much.
"Good work, senior."
"Uh, uh... yeah, sorry."
I patted the dejected Katt on the shoulder as he shuffled back.
"Ha, we're screwed."
Hanks grimaced faintly beside me. In his head, first place was probably toast now.
With Katt at 80, I'd need a perfect 100 to tie the current leaders in Group 1.
I ignored Hanks's sigh and stepped up to the measuring device.
"Next, final turn. Group 10 leader, Aleck."
The instructor's voice rang out. I approached the device.
'Hm.'
Before taking stance, I glanced at my right hand. Long, slender arm with pale skin standing out. Nothing like the bulging muscles of Max, Polt, or Drvito.
Compared to them, my lithe arm looked like it couldn't possibly compete.
"Think he can break 90?"
"Doubt it."
"Eh, just saying."
Everyone else saw it the same way.
'Looks can be deceiving. My strength's already closing in on theirs.'
My current strength was at Growth Stage limit: D+ rank. And not just any D+—boosted far beyond normal by Limit Break.
This wasn't even on a regular mantis scale. A regular mantis at D+ with Limit Break would still fall short of a Hercules clan's E-rank absolute value.
But my body was already awakening as a Megaera mantis, with explosive potential surging.
'Even using just raw physical power, I could match Max's destructive force.'
Add my refined technique, and hitting Max's 99 would be a breeze.
'But...'
I needed first place. That meant 100 points.
Problem was, I had iron weights on. Pure physical power with weights would make 100 tough.
'Plenty of ways around that.'
Easiest: strike the grain. The high-grade materials hid it well, but Predator's Eye would reveal it. Confident I could hit 100 even weighted.
Or use my skills: High Jump slam, ant acid burst, or condense ether externally for a smash...
Any would net me 100 like the instructor showed. I was sure of it.
"Move when you're ready."
The instructor urged. I decided after a moment's thought, raising my right fist right in front of the device.
No stance. Just lifting the fist lightly—like a casual tap.
"What's he doing?"
"Not even posing?"
"Giving up?"
"First place looks impossible, so why bother."
"Max set the bar too high. Everyone after's deflated."
"Then why beg to join the bet?"
Some grumbled at my attitude. A few sneered from superiority as higher clans, but others who'd seen my confidence in the bet seemed expectant.
'Sorry, but I'm not half-assing this.'
I clenched my fist tight. The power I'd use now: Ant Strength.
The infamous ant force—amplifying 20 to 5,000 times body weight. No need for stance; raw might surged into my fist.
Kuwaaaaaang———!
My punch exploded like a cannon shell, the device shuddering violently.
"......!"
"Wh-what the?"
"Insane... that from a fist?"
"Fuck, how strong is he...?"
Curses and gasps erupted.
Expected result. It capped at 100, but without the limit, it'd surpass the instructor's. My strength plus Ant Strength was ridiculously potent.
"Whoa, so Aleck takes first?"
"Yeah. Thought he was bluffing on the bet, but he hid that power... damn."
"Montiol didn't lose for nothing."
"But how? Looked like a light tap."
"What kinda strength is that? From a regular mantis? Ridiculous."
I glanced at the buzzing trainees. Most higher clans had stiff faces. Max laughed in disbelief.
'Why's he like that?'
Drvito from the Amar king centipede clan was the weirdest—grinning like he'd found a fun toy, eyes gleaming with interest.
'No idea what he's thinking.'
Typical shady king centipede. I clicked my tongue and turned, spotting Montiol smirking smugly, scanning around proudly.
"Kuhum."
Looked like getting overpowered by me physically had been humiliating. For him, losing strength to a "regular mantis" was mortifying.
But now my absurd strength was proven, so he could hold his head high a bit.
'I got cocky too.'
Honestly, for this test, quietly hitting 100 with technique to look "lucky" would've drawn less attention than flashing Ant Strength.
Why the show? 'Annoyed, and tired of the hassle.'
The constant disdain grated, and everything I did sparked endless bitching.
'Regression body's youth, or genetic mood swings?'
Felt more impulsive since reincarnating.
Anyway, regrets? None. My choice, my action. Punching out felt refreshing, chest clearing up. Seeing them stunned and silent tugged my lips up.
'And this much is fine.'
Not blind impulse. I knew the four great clans' lofty superiority and pride better than anyone.
At Growth Stage, this power wouldn't make them wary of a mere "regular mantis."
Calculated risk—no backlash.
"Impressive. Trainee Aleck takes first. Congratulations."
Instructor Binzar snapped out of it and approached with praise.
"Thanks."
I smiled inwardly. First place meant 1 mile—total 28 now.
Plus...
"Don't forget the bet, guys."
"Kuh."
"...We'll pay up nicely once we get miles."
"You don't trust us?"
12 miles from them. Total 40 secured.
And...
"The group with the highest average score..."
The group mile for top average remained.
"Hmm, Group 1 and Group 10 both at 87—tied for first."
My 100 covered Katt's low, tying Group 1.
'Retest now?'
Too good to lose that extra mile. Everyone watched Binzar.
"Thought about a retest, but at my discretion, both groups get 1 mile each."
He awarded both.
"Whoa, jackpot!"
"Yes!"
"Thanks, leader. Your 100 clinched it."
"Nah, everyone's effort."
Group 10 beamed. Never dreamed they'd win group prize.
Me neither. 'They overperformed. Especially Comji.'
No one expected 87 from Grima clan's Comji. Vendy the salt cricket and Leriya the poison moth hitting late 70s was bonus too.
My 100 plus their solid scores. '41 miles total.'
Just 9 more till the Megaera mantis fossil fragment...
* * *
After group training, rest day.
"Katt senior."
"Yeah."
"Tell me now. What happened?"
"Uh......"
Back at quarters, sipping honey brew with Katt. The bruises on him. His cowed demeanor during training. Something happened, obvious.
"Th-that's......"
Under my prodding, Katt stayed silent long before finally speaking.