A Chemist's Interstellar Saga

Chapter 218: Romance Starting
Chapter 218: Romance Starting

It was funny how everyone didn’t realize their full potential until they were really pushed.

In the grueling 50-kilometer obstacle race, Arix not only managed to outpace most of the students, but she also snagged a spot in the top ten among the special forces.

”Impressive! Arix, you did great! There aren’t many special forces soldiers who could keep up with you,” the special forces instructor praised, clearly impressed.

”I’ve been coaching for years, and this is the first time I’ve seen such a hardworking team member,” Spears added, giving her a thumbs-up.

Even though she was gasping for breath, Arix felt a warm glow of pride at their praise.

”Thank you, sir. I’m just doing my best,” Arix replied, scratching the back of her head with a shy smile.

Spears looked at his humble and determined student with growing satisfaction. Then, with a smile that was almost paternal, he said, ”Now that Arix has completed her warm-up, it’s time to start the real training.”

Arix was just about to relax and wait for everyone to head back to the dorms when her smile froze.

Stunned, she swallowed hard and asked, ”Sir, did I hear you wrong? It’s pretty noisy here just now...”

Spears’ smile remained, but it took on a more sinister edge. ”Arix, you heard me just fine. That 50 kilometers was just the warm-up. Now, the real training begins. It’s simple—just survive in there for seven days.”

Arix’s eyes went wide with shock. Suddenly, it made sense why Quinnie, who had been sprinting even faster than her, vanished right at the finish line.

The 50 kilometers that had nearly sucked the life out of her was just a warm-up!

”Arix, are you ready? You going in on your own, or do I need to give you a hand?” Spears asked, pointing to the dimensional training ground beside him.

Arix instinctively took a step back, disbelief written all over her face. ”Sir, you’re joking, right?”

”Not at all. Off you go!” Spears let out a dark chuckle, like a villain in a bad movie. Then he promptly kicked Arix into the second dimensional training ground.

”Oh my gosh! Coach, you’re a total devil!” Arix screamed as she disappeared into the entrance of the training ground.

Spears just chuckled darkly, waiting for the next student to arrive.

As each one staggered across the finish line, Spears repeated the process, sending them straight into the second training ground without a second thought.

The students’ desperate cries echoed through the air, so full of despair that anyone nearby might’ve felt a pang of sympathy.

But the special forces soldiers had seen this coming. They accepted their fate and walked into the second training ground without complaint.

After all, anyone who came to the Legion’s special training thinking they were only in for a 50-kilometer run was just dreaming. And that dream was bound to end the moment they crossed the finish line.

...

The moment Arix hit the ground in the Dimensional Training Field, her eyes locked with a swarm of wild beasts.

The air was thick with tension, and fear rooted her to the spot.

For a heartbeat, everything was still.

Then the silence shattered as the beasts roared in unison, their jaws snapping as they charged toward her.

”Roar! Roar! Roar!”

”God, darn it!”

The wild howls of the beasts echoed around her, blending with Arix’s panicked scream. But her instincts, honed by countless battles and rigorous training, kicked in just in time.

Arix dodged the first attack by a hair’s breadth. Desperate, she reached for a weapon from her Space Button, only to find—nothing. Her fingers grasped at thin air.

Three seconds of pure dread passed before it dawned on her: this dimensional space had blocked her Space Button.

Muttering every curse she could think of about her instructors, Arix dragged her exhausted body forward. She forced her psychic power to manifest a sword, and with a desperate swing, she began hacking away at the beasts.

Arix had assumed she could outsmart or outrun them, but reality had other plans.

These beasts seemed unnervingly good at tracking her. Every attempt to hide was a failure, and the longer it went on, the clearer it became—this had Spears’ devilish fingerprints all over it.

But what could she do? March up and give him a piece of her mind? Hardly. Instead, Arix bit down on her frustration, cursing Spears in her mind as she engaged in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the relentless beasts.

As evening finally rolled in, something strange happened. The beasts, as if following some invisible command, took a few steps back and then turned tail, sprinting away.

Arix stood there, panting heavily, her sword trembling in her hands. She had danced with death too many times that afternoon, and it left her completely drained—both body and mind.

She didn’t even bother tending to her many wounds before she collapsed onto the grass, out cold.

When she came to, it was deep into the night. Her body ached, and her stomach growled angrily.

With no other option, she staggered over to the pile of beasts she had taken down earlier, grabbed one, and headed for a nearby river.

There, she tended to her wounds as best she could, skinned the beast, and cleaned it up. Soon, a fire was crackling, and she began roasting the meat while her mind raced.

She’d been fighting off these beasts all afternoon and hadn’t seen a single classmate. She guessed they were either in separate training fields or just too far away to run into.

But given how vast this training field likely was, she figured the second option was more probable.

With that thought, Arix stopped worrying. She was confident in her strength, and even if she had to go solo for these seven days, she was sure she could survive just fine.

While Arix was navigating her solo struggle, Quinnie had a different experience altogether. Shortly after stepping into the Dimensional Training Field, she bumped into Zane.

”I’ve told you, stop following me,” Quinnie snapped, clearly irritated as Zane trailed behind her.

The beast horde had just subsided, and after an entire afternoon of battling, even Quinnie, as strong as she was, looked a bit worn out. But what really grated on her nerves was the persistent human who wouldn’t leave her side.

”We should team up,” Zane suggested calmly. ”You saw what happened with the beast horde earlier. It’s safer if we stick together.”

Quinnie didn’t bother hiding her disdain. ”Who would want to team up with you? You’re too weak to even be a decent opponent, let alone a teammate.”

She lifted her chin, looking at Zane as if he were beneath her.

She was the noble crown prince of the insectoid race—no way was she going to lower herself to team up with a mere human.

But just ten minutes later, she found herself leaning against a tree, eyeing the roasting meat over the fire with reluctant interest.

As much as she hated to admit it, Zane, despite being a weak human, could cook surprisingly well.

Zane noticed her struggling to maintain her aloof act and, with a knowing smile, offered, ”Want some?”

Her stomach growled in response, but she stubbornly lifted her head. ”Hmph, I, Quinnie, would rather starve or be eaten by beasts than eat your food.”

”Are you sure?” Zane’s smile grew a little wider.

After a moment of tense silence, hunger finally overpowered her pride. She quietly sat down by the fire, snatched up the skewers, and started devouring the meat.

Zane chuckled softly, watching her eat. ”Take it easy; there’s plenty.”

Once her hunger was satisfied, Quinnie sprawled out on the grass, her mood somewhat better. She glanced over at Zane, who was still busy roasting meat for her.

She pouted a bit and then, as if doing him a massive favor, said, ”Hey, since your cooking isn’t terrible, I suppose I’ll let you team up with me.”

Zane paused, a slight smile playing on his lips. ”Alright.”

Quinnie huffed but didn’t fire back with her usual sharp tongue. Instead, she closed her eyes, letting exhaustion take over.

As sleep began to claim her, thoughts of finishing the mission quickly drifted through her mind. The Alliance’s training base was hardly a place where an insectoid should linger.

After finishing his meal, Zane prepared to get some rest too. But before settling in, he noticed Quinnie’s delicate face, now peaceful in sleep. With a small, quiet gesture, he took off his jacket and gently draped it over her.

He found his own spot beneath a tree and leaned against it, ready to sleep.

In her sleep, Quinnie’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. She instinctively pulled the jacket tighter around herself, a small, secretive smile playing on her lips.