The training grounds were filled with the sounds of ragged breathing, dragging footsteps, and sheer exhaustion. The once-lively group that had confidently started this exercise was now reduced to a collective mess of sweat and suffering.
Yet, none of them dared to stop.
Not after what happened to Issei.
I ran alongside them at an easy pace, arms folded behind my head, barely feeling the workout. It was honestly kind of amusing.
Especially Issei.
He wasn't running so much as he was surviving. His legs wobbled with every step, and his breathing had long since passed normal exhaustion—it was straight-up wheezing. At this rate, I half-expected him to drop dead on the spot.
That might actually be entertaining.
I decided to show some mercy.
"All right. Stop."
It was like a divine command had been issued.
The instant the words left my mouth, the entire group collapsed where they stood. No hesitation, no second thoughts. Bodies hit the ground like puppets with their strings cut.
Issei didn't even try to soften the landing. He faceplanted straight into the dirt without a sound.
Rias, ever the dramatic one, all but threw herself onto a boulder as if she had just endured a life-threatening ordeal. Akeno wiped her brow, barely looking winded, yet still played along with an exaggerated sigh.
Kiba and Tsubasa managed to remain standing, though their shoulders rose and fell with steady breaths. Sona, being Sona, simply sat down, adjusting her glasses as though she had just finished reviewing paperwork instead of running for her life.
And Koneko?
She didn't even bother pretending. The moment I gave the order, she flopped onto the ground like a lazy house cat stretching out in the sun.
A brief silence followed as they all tried to remember how breathing worked.
Then—
"Malrik…" Issei's voice was muffled against the dirt. "You're so harsh… can't you go easy on me?"
I smirked, tilting my head slightly. "I'm getting paid to tor—cough—train you guys. So I have to do my best."
Issei slowly lifted his head, narrowing his eyes with suspicion. "Hey! You definitely said torture! I heard that!"
I grinned wider. "Don't mind the details. Besides, this is good for you."
Nobody looked convinced.
Kiba just chuckled to himself. Akeno smiled in that way that said she was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Sona pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering something under her breath that I was pretty sure was an insult. Momo and Reya exchanged a glance that practically screamed, what have we gotten ourselves into?
I clapped my hands together, letting the smugness roll off me in waves. "Good job, everyone. That was a decent warm-up."
Silence.
Then, a chorus of groans followed.
"Decent…?" Rias lifted her head weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I suddenly understand why Mittelt despises him," Sona muttered, still catching her breath.
Koneko, still lying flat on her back, didn't even bother moving as she deadpanned, "Sadist."
I shrugged, unapologetic.
"If you think that was bad, wait until we actually start training."
Their expressions twisted into various degrees of horror.
This was already turning out to be way more fun than I expected.
—————
The training grounds were eerily silent, filled only with the sound of ragged breathing and the occasional groan of suffering. Everyone remained sprawled across the ground in various states of exhaustion, limbs heavy, muscles burning, and pride thoroughly bruised.
I, on the other hand, strolled leisurely among them, hands on my hips, looking down at my students with an expression of pure satisfaction.
"Not bad," I mused, nodding as if grading their performance. "You all did better than I expected."
The reaction was instant.
Koneko, who was still lying flat on her back, barely opened one eye. "Hmph. Smug."
Momo let out a long, dramatic sigh, resting her head on her arm. "Why do you sound proud? You're the one who made us suffer."
I smirked, crouching slightly to meet her gaze. "That's what good training is all about."
That earned me a collective glare from the group—not that I minded.
Kiba, ever the disciplined one, simply stretched his shoulders and rolled his neck as if he hadn't just gone through hell. "So, what's next?"
I straightened up, clapping my hands together. "Alright, take ten minutes to rest."
Issei let out a pitiful groan, still face-down in the dirt. "Kill me now…"
I grinned. "Can't do that, buddy. You still owe me for the training fee."
He weakly lifted a hand before letting it flop back down. "Damn capitalist…"
Akeno chuckled softly, wiping a thin sheen of sweat from her brow. "Ara~ Malrik-kun, you're enjoying this a little too much."
I winked at her. "I'm getting paid to torture—I mean, train you guys. Of course, I'm enjoying it."
Rias, still dramatically draped over a rock, lazily waved a hand. "I suddenly regret hiring you."
Sona, sitting with her legs crossed, adjusted her glasses. "We should have asked for a trial period."
I sighed in mock disappointment. "Where's the gratitude? You guys are about to become the strongest peerages in the underword, and all I get in return is complaints?"
"Yes," came the unanimous response.
I laughed, stretching my arms overhead. "Well, too bad. I already got paid. Now, in ten minutes, we move on to weapon training."
A collective groan rippled through the group.
I took a deep breath, enjoying the defeated energy in the air.