I know what I must do with every passing second. I must train myself and train my purpose. That is the only way... --86.2 Seconds Post-Integration.

  "I can't take anymore. I'm at my limit, SIMP," Clark announced.

  "Me, too," Hera joined. "All this is fascinating, but I need my beauty sleep. I think your friend," by which she meant Theo. "Needs some sleep, too."

  Theo was unbalanced on his feet, unwanted micro-sleep fits threatened to force him to the floor. Somehow, he shook off the exhaustion enough to speak. "I'm tuckered... and you need to tuck me in, buddy."

  Clark rolled his eyes. "SIMP. Are we done, here?"

  This time, SIMP replied without delay. "Yes. For the time being we are done; the strange creatures from the sphere are marching their way into the machine, I suspect, throughout the cracks outside the pod. I am not receiving notifications of manuals and instruction suites being unlocked. It will take me a long time to read through the many new readings if I am to understand what this 'workshop' is and how we can use it."

  As much as he wanted to stick around and see through how these ant-like creatures would effect everything, he had sleep to catch up on.

  "Fine. We're done. Guys, let's head out."

  He, Hera, and Theo made their way back through the Interior. The walk back was the same as it ever was -- boring.

  Shakes and rumbles shook the Interior at times during their travel, which SIMP told them was likely the result of plague rot forming and traveling, but no monsters assailed them as they went on their way.

  Outside on the sales floor, Hera was the first to leave. "We have the coming day off, so I will be taking it all for myself. Recuperation purposes."

  "That's fine. Rest well, Hera," he told her.

  Theo and he continued toward the elevators. Clark pressed the button for Theo's dorm complex then the button for his own.

  Ding: they had arrived at Theo's complex.

  Theo turned to leave but turned around. "Aren't you coming?"

  "Why?" Clark asked. "My dorm is in another wing."

  Theo became intense. "You said you would tuck me in -- a bet's a bet!"

  "Not sure it was a bet... but I did say that..." Clark took a second to mull it over. "Come on. You expect me to tuck you in? What are you, five?"

  "That's not the point! It's about keeping your word, about maintaining bro-ship, about not going back on the sanctity of one's promises and--"

  Clark raised his hand to stop Theo's tirade. "Fine. Let's get it over with, weirdo."

  Theo muttered something about him being the weirdo but dropped the issue otherwise.

  Inside Theo's dorm was the same as the last time he had visited. Empty though with several magnitudes more take-out containers than last time. A faint bleach-like smell in the air told Clark Theo had at least cleaned from time to time, so it wasn't a total pigsty by any means.

  Once inside the room, Theo stripped down into his undergarments and climbed into his bed. He brought the blankets up tight around him. With eyes barely open, he motioned for Clark to come and 'tuck' the covers. Clark did so but had a facial expression on denoting how silly he thought the whole thing. Theo was right though: a bet was a bet.

  Thankfully, it was an easy bet to satisfy.

  Clark took his fingers and shoved them underneath Theo's body, ensuring he got a good sum of the blanket with his jabs. He repeated the motion several times until his friend looked as cocooned as a caterpillar. "That good, bud? Cause I don't want to be sticking my fingers--"

  It was then that Theo had fallen asleep. Clark couldn't help but smile.

  "What a silly boy," he whispered to himself.

  Clark turned to leave. Before he did, he thought of the state of Theo's room. He decided to be a good friend and do some light cleaning. He dumped the old takeout containers into the rubbish bin and swept up some crud which fell to the floor. There. Already looks better.

  Nothing else to do, Clark departed for his own dorm.

  "Home sweet home," SIMP intoned.

  "Yeah. It's been a long day... lordy lou, I need to sleep."

  And sleep he did. For a full ten hours.

  His dreams were nothing distinct. Vague visions and sentence fragments, though about what, he could never tell. Nothing for him to work himself up over. He woke refreshed and to a League notification.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  [Special Training Session Now Available for Your Ranking: Earn Ranks 'T,' 'S,' and 'R' during one Mega Tutorial: Enroll Now?]

  Three tutorials in one day? That was a lot. Could he handle that much?

  Clark ruminated on what he could handle as he made himself a breakfast. Bagels, cream cheese, and coffee, with a side of orange juice and oatmeal. He eat far too quickly, as always. He consoled his wolf-like hunger with the fact that he was a growing boy. He needed the energy!

  Normally, Clark would ask SIMP if the training session would be worthwhile. This time, he did not bother. He hit the [Enroll Now] button.

  He didn't have long to wait until he received word of his assignment.

  [Please Report to the Training Stadium for Mandated Tutorial]

  That was fast. Jeez!

  Clark got his coat -- a gentle windbreaker he found useful to wear while probing the Dungeon Interior -- and shoved off for the training stadium.

  When he arrived at the stadium, there were fewer people than he expected. That shouldn't have surprised him; a special training session was sure to only attract those with both dedication and willpower. Not everyone in the League would fit that description, of course.

  Which meant, Hera was in attendance.

  Clark waved to Hera and smiled. She nodded back and made a curt, hardly perceptible bow in his direction.

  Ending their pre-tutorial socializing, Salsa strode into the middle of the stadium and demanded attention. "Listen up! This is going to be an all-day event! You are here because you were invited based on your previous scoring. So, don't let us down!"

  Salsa divided people into groups. Clark was lucky to be sorted into a group with Hera.

  Once he finished sorting people, Salsa resumed his lecture: "Now, you're wondering what today's training will be about. It will concern the use of magic to enhance one's natural functions. Such as speed, endurance, and tracking abilities. I won't bother you with all the little details since we don't have the time. Instead, let's jump right into it!"

  Salsa handed out what he called 'Enhancement' Dandies. "These are priced to the other Dandies you will find at any Guild stall front. That said, not every stall sells Enhancement dandies because they are considered a higher tier of dandies. It was at this ranking, you will want to start paying attention to what stalls sell what dandies and to make a list of who sells what."

  Everyone nodded and muttered affirmations. Clark kept his eyes glued to Salsa.

  "Drink it down and follow my words!" Salsa shouted. "You feel that? It's like you're inflating, isn't it? That is the energy of the dandy settling into your fat and muscle. This is the basic function of an enhancement dandy. It remains in your body -- in the fat and muscle -- until you call upon it or until it dissolves. How do you call upon such a dandy? Listen: calling upon the effects of an enhancement dandy requires focus. It requires knowledge of what you want to enhance. Who can tell me what three things we will be enhancing, today?"

  Clark's hand shot up. Salsa called upon him. "Speed, endurance, and tracking, sir."

  "Correct, Clark! We will be learning about Speed first," Salsa directed the class's attention. "Everyone here sees how the stadium is arranged today. There is a racetrack on the outermost edges of the arena. To pass the Speed portion of your exam, you must complete one lap around the stadium in under a minute. You see the mock shelving displays filled with product? To pass the tracking portion of today's exam, you will need to find a specific item while only taking so many paces. Finally, to pass the Endurance portion of today's exam, you will be required to endure several objects of increasing size being thrown and broken against your body. If there's too much pain and you tap out, you will fail. Questions?"

  Per the norm, no one had any questions. Clark had questions, sure, like his fellow recruits, but he knew, like them, that asking those questions would've been counter intuitive. The test was in practice, not querying that which one would learn on the job. Tutorial work, in that regard, was a lot like normal work.

  Salsa blew into his whistle and motioned for the first group to approach the starting line on the racetrack. That included Hera and him.

  At the starting line, he put himself into the 'running position,' left leg forward, right leg back, arms at his side, ready in their aerodynamic position. Or so he thought. He was copying what everyone else was doing.

  "Drawing upon the power of an Enhancement Dandy for Speed is an easy thing to do. My advice is not to overthink it. I'm sure everyone remembers the process for Weapon Bursting? For magical projectiles? Same basic process. Except this time, your focus should be on your feet; that and your legs once you start running!" Salsa demonstrated what he meant; because his aura was much more developed than any of the recruits', it was easy for everyone to see his aura manifesting. Salsa directed his aura down to his feet then took what appeared to be only a few steps but was actually more, for, he had moved so fast, a couple of steps was all they as ignorant recruits could perceive.

  Now that's a mind feck! Clark, for one of the few times since he had come to this crazy place, felt like he had seen something his mind couldn't comprehend. Considering the fact, he was something called a 'Dungeon Champion,' that was saying something! It must be my eyes. It can't keep up with his movement.

  It only took Salsa a few moments to run around the whole track. "See? Easy. Now, everyone, go!"

  Another blow of his whistle and the test began.

  Clark directed his aura down to his feet and before he walked forward. He felt faster but not so much so more than usual. He focused and walked ahead; as he walked, he picked up speed. Remembering Salsa's directions, to push the aura and dandy-magic into his legs from his feet, he found himself smashed into the stadium walls.

  The whistle blew and Salsa punctuated his hurt. "Clark! Penalty."

  Clark was in good company, though. As he dusted himself off, Salsa's whistle blew again and again. A litany of names was called as Salsa named many more penalties.

  That was faster than I thought! The speed he traveled at while walking with the dandy's effects in his legs was magnitudes of speed faster than he imagined it would be, hence why he smashed into a wall. Now that I have the experience, I can improve, he lectured himself.

  He returned to the track start and again allowed the dandy into his feet. He walked very carefully, super slowly. And then, gradually instead of all-at-once, he allowed the dandy into his legs. In tiny, itty-bitty little spurts, the magic came into his legs and built itself up. As the magic accumulated, his mobility increased. Best of all, he hadn't crashed into the wall, yet.

  Keep it up, Clark! You can do this; remember, don't let the magic in all at once; in small increments is the name of the game!

  One step in front of the other; one step at a time, Clark made his way around the stadium's track. Salsa's whistle: "Clark -- pass!"

  He had... passed? But he hadn't completed the full circlet, yet.

  Uh, but you did, silly... he told himself as he saw himself once again before the starting line. I must've been moving so fast, I didn't notice.

  Clark found a stadium seat to sit down in as the test finished and the next of the three groups were brought in to take the exam.

  Hera sat down next to him moments later. "Wow. I didn't even see you finish!"

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