My Pro Boxer System

After that, Ms. Dalton entered the classroom, and I followed behind her, taking my seat. For this session, she spoke mostly about the tournament that was going to take place next year, discussing all the different events the school would have to prepare us for.

Everyone seemed excited and was doing their best, though most of the hope rested on a select few students. Lucian was one such student expected to lead our school to victory in boxing. The other captains also carried a lot of weight on their shoulders.

[By the way, what are your plans for the upcoming competition?]

I don't have any plans. Remember, I only joined the club because you forced me. I don't plan on becoming some big sports star—at least not yet. For now, I'll just watch how things proceed with the bare minimum effort.

[So your plan is to be lazy and hide your talent. I can't say that sounds exciting,] Alexa commented.

Honestly, the whole thing sounded like a bother. As long as I don't drag down the boxing club, I'll be fine. After homeroom and a few other classes, it was time for Physical Activity class. This time, the entire first year would be practicing field events. We were all outside on the sports field wearing our track uniforms.

We took part in 100m runs and recorded our times. The scene was filled with huge commotion as the different classes competed against each other. There were four classes in total: A, B, C, and D. I was in class B.

From what I know, the class you were placed in was mostly random and wasn't determined by grades or athletic abilities. I didn't know anyone from the other classes except Lulu, who was in class A. She was also in the track club, which showed since she managed to win her race with quite a good distance between her and the other runners. She had the fastest time among the first-year girls.

There were loud cheers as she ran, especially from the boys. She ran a time of 12.8 seconds, which was fairly good for a high schooler. No one even came close to her time. She was the only girl who managed to get a time under 14 seconds, even though there were other girls from the track team in the first year.

After the girls finished, the boys' race took place shortly after. Their times were much faster. Many boys were in the track club, but the most outstanding among them was a talent named Cesar. He was popular too; he received cheers and encouragement before his race even started.

You could tell they expected a lot from him by the way they acted, and rightfully so, as he managed to win his race easily. He slowed his pace just before crossing the finish line and still managed a time of 10.9 seconds. He was faster than most people in the track club even though he was just a first year.

Though he wasn't the only one who did well. Adam also performed well, securing a time of 11.7 seconds when he won his race. Ken didn't perform badly either; he managed to place second in his race with a good time.

Cassian managed to place first. For a person his size and height, he was unbelievably fast on his feet. It reminded me of what Kiki said about him trying out different sports until he found boxing. He too was popular among the first years.

Soon, it was my turn to run.

[At least do your best. At this stage, I'm confident you can run a time of 10.4 seconds. If a recruiter saw that, it would be enough for you to get a scholarship on the spot. The school would be in an uproar and would have to fight off other schools so they don't poach you. You're at the level of an elite college sprinter. They'll look at you and see vast potential.]

All of that sounds like a headache.

I took my spot beside the other runners, most of whom looked athletic. The favorite to win was a guy in Class C named Markus. He was part of the track team like Cesar. There were also two others from the track team, but they were considered beginners. Cassian, Ken, and a few of my classmates looked at me expectantly.

Most of them I had never spoken to, but since I was in the same class as them, they still wanted me to win.

Though, I think third place would work perfectly. If I go any lower, it will be obvious that I was faking it. Any higher, and I would be lumped deep into the realm of being considered 'reliable.' Third place will be good enough to quell any disdain my classmates have for me and also not catch anyone's attention.

"On your mark."

The six other runners and I got on our marks. We kept our legs tight, waiting for the whistle to blow. When it did, we took off in a sprint. I immediately sped past the other opponents and went into first place. It seemed I had underestimated how slow they were. Losing was much harder than I think.

I didn't have a big lead at the front, so I stealthily adjusted my speed and let them pass me. In the end, I accomplished my goal and came in third place. Cassian, Adam, and Ken cheered for me with excited smiles on their faces. The rest of my classmates looked dumbfounded. I found it a bit surprising.

Why were they paying so much attention to me? Enough to know that I came third.

I ignored their lingering gazes and went to take a seat beside Cassian and the others.

"Damn, man, not bad. Your time is almost as good as Ken's," Cassian said.

"Thanks. You weren't bad yourself."

"Yeah, I can't believe Adam got the fastest time out of the three of us."

"Well, he is a football player," Ken said. "It makes sense that he's fast."

Cassian frowned, but surprisingly, Adam didn't say a word. He sat quietly, his eyes locked on something across the field. He had a serious look on his face, which was rare for him.

"That guy is fast," he finally spoke.

"Who do you mean, Cesar?" Cassian asked.

"Cesar, during our race, I got the feeling he wasn't going all out. No wonder everyone fawns over him. With his potential, I he could possibly bring home a medal at next year's tournament."