I'm in a real religion, why are all the people who confess to me girls?

In an instant, the entire road was filled with contestants rushing forward, while the students from Gaoyu School at the back could only slowly follow the crowd and move forward with difficulty.

Due to the limited road width and the large number of participants (up to 6,000), the order of the race was determined by the race number plates. Participants with numbers further back were at a slight disadvantage. This was unlike the full marathon, which is over 40 kilometers long and requires a more reasonable allocation of energy, allowing participants to conserve their energy in the early stages to suddenly burst forward and overtake those who were exhausted.

Although a half marathon is more than 20 kilometers long, the finishing time is only three hours. Most people's results are actually concentrated in the two-hour range. This means that once you are caught up in the crowd in the middle or at the back of the group, no matter how good your physical strength is, it is impossible to break through the thousands of people.

Only when the race is nearing its end and some runners fall behind or run out of energy, causing the crowd density to thin out, can one find gaps to quickly weave into the less crowded sections of the track ahead.

However, at this point, the race is already about halfway through, which means that some people have already reached the finish line. At this point, there is not much difference between exerting effort and not exerting effort, which is the reason for the saying "participation is more important than winning".

Unless you manage to break through the crowd from the very beginning or gain an advantage by having a higher race number, you might be able to shake off your pursuers from the start and maintain a lead for a considerable period of time to become a member of the first tier. Otherwise, you will soon be overtaken by the runners who burst out in the second stage and continue to be submerged in the crowd, unable to move.

It's rare for a runner to come from behind and win halfway through or near the end of a race in a medium-distance running event.

Because endurance and maintaining explosive power over a long period of time are inherently conflicting. To maintain explosive power, endurance will inevitably be weakened, and to maintain endurance in preparation for explosive power in the middle and later stages of the race, one must endure being constantly overtaken by others.

Horikita and Ichinose were jogging slowly in front of Amane and Karuizawa in the crowd. However, as the first group began to speed up, the runners on the track instinctively sped up as well, trying to keep up with the group in front. With Horikita and Ichinose's stamina and pace, keeping up with the group was not difficult. However, they faced a rather difficult situation.

On one hand, they wanted to run with Amane, but because Amane had to take care of Karuizawa who was feeling unwell, they were already at the back of the pack. If the two of them slowed down, they might not be able to get the top spot.

Both were quite confident that they could pass the second tier, but anything can happen, because everyone's score is not publicly available and everyone can only estimate how many points they have roughly obtained.

What if they don't have enough points...

Megumi took in the conflicted expressions of the two women. Although she enjoyed the sense of security that Amane had by her side, she also knew that she, who was destined to miss the special exam, could not drag others down, especially Amane. Amane had finally returned, and if she couldn't take the special exam because of her, Megumi felt that she would feel so guilty that she wouldn't be able to face Amane and Horikita.

After a moment's thought, Hui made a difficult decision.

"Tianyin... Phew, don't worry about me. Just let me run slowly at the back of the group. You go ahead and rush to the front. If it's you, Tianyin... getting the first-tier reward shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Hui subconsciously clenched her small hands, trying to calm her breathing and make herself look a little more normal. However, all of her small movements were seen by Tianyin. Tianyin knew that if she ran with Hui, Hui might still have a chance to finish the race, but if she left Hui... it would be very difficult for her to finish the race on her own.

"Results are irrelevant to me. What I'm more worried about is that Hui's physical condition is very poor. I'm more afraid that something might happen to you than the competition results."

Given Hui's current physical and mental condition, she might suddenly collapse while running, and if she gets injured... Hui's body is nowhere near as good as hers.

"Heavenly Sound!"

Hui suddenly shouted Tianyin's name as if she had made a decision, and then stopped in her tracks.

"what happened?"

"I choose to withdraw from the competition."

"Withdraw from the competition? With me here, you might be able to get a second-tier score. Didn't you get a promise from the judges that as long as you achieve a second-tier score, you'll be scored according to the first-tier score? In that case..."

"In that case, Suzune and Honami will be eliminated."

Megumi's words startled Amane. Even if Horikita and Ichinose's scores were in the second tier, they should still be...

wrong.

Tianyin then realized a problem: the points were usually calculated based on the results of attendance, written tests, and physical fitness tests. The difference between passing and failing was significant, and class ranking also affected the points earned.

According to the information Tianyin temporarily obtained about Class A, since her departure, Class A's scores in both written tests and physical fitness tests have hovered between second and third place, completely crushed by Class B, which has better overall abilities. This means that Class A's points may not be as many as Tianyin imagined.

Amane looked at Ichinose and Horikita, who had also stopped and were waiting for her to make a decision.

"I think it should be fine, but it's hard to say about Fanbo. Her swimming test results were a little low. If she had gotten a second-tier result, she might have been one or two points short."

Horikita naturally understood that Amane was asking about their situation, so she could only tell Amane the truth.

"I'm fine. I probably have enough points already, since my written test score was pretty good..."

Ichinose wasn't sure if she had enough points, but given the current situation, she could only try to calm Megumi and Amane down.

"That's still a bit short..."

Tianyin hesitated.

"Tianyin, when did you become so indecisive?"

Seeing that the competition was still going on, and that Tianyin had actually stopped to talk to her, Hui could only try to provoke Tianyin in a little way.

"Compared to the current Amane, I actually prefer the Amane from the Sports Festival, back then..."

Before Hui could finish speaking, her mouth was blocked.

The gentle touch and warm temperature almost made Hui lose her composure in public, even though she was already blushing.

"let's go!"

Tianyin took one last look at Hui, her gaze becoming increasingly resolute, the warmth fading from her eyes. All that remained in her sight was the finish line.

Amane took the first step, and then her whole body was launched out like a missile. Horikita and Ichinose had no time to say goodbye to Megumi and could only hurriedly follow behind Amane.

With Tianyin leading the way, the two experienced less wind resistance, and they only needed to slightly increase their speed to keep up with Tianyin at a short distance behind, making the run very easy.

However, as time went on, they only managed to keep up with Amane for about twenty seconds before Amane completely left them behind. No matter how fast Horikita and Ichinose sped up, they couldn't catch up with Amane running at full speed. The two of them stared at Amane's figure flashing across the track like a nimble black panther, their eyes filled with longing.

However, they felt mostly helpless because Tianyin was rushing ahead and completely ignored the two of them. Fortunately, with their own strength, they were sure to secure a second-tier result, and with a little effort, achieving a first-tier result wouldn't be too difficult. Moreover, having Tianyin clear the way made things much easier.

When the runners ahead hear the approaching footsteps behind them, they know something is wrong. Anyone who starts sprinting at this distance is either a reckless newbie or a hidden master in the team, waiting to overtake when the leading group relaxes their guard.

As the sound drew closer, people instinctively moved to the sides, clearing the path for Tianyin. They wanted to see who was putting in such a desperate effort...

The next second, a gust of wind swept past the contestants. The contestants, who were all stunned by the rapid pace of Tianyin's steps, which left only a blur in their vision, stared in disbelief at Tianyin's back.

"My God, is that girl a college track and field athlete? She doesn't look like an adult."

"These aren't college students, I heard a whole high school signed up, I think it was first and second year students... But these high school students these days are too exaggerated, they're practically leaving afterimages!!"

……

Ignoring the whispers and exclamations around her, Tianyin sped up again. Her previous speed was just a warm-up; now that she was warmed up, it was time for her to perform.

"Rinne Honami, you guys stay close... uh..."

In her haste to turn around and tell Horikita and Ichinose to stay close to her, Amane was shocked to find that Horikita and Ichinose were no longer behind her.

'I definitely slowed down...'

Amane looked around for a moment, and after confirming that she could not see Horikita and Ichinose within a kilometer's reach, she gave up. Now, she could only go to the finish line alone and wait for the two of them.

A young man following behind Tianyin saw her turn around and frown, so he immediately waved his hands to indicate that he had no intention of overtaking her and that she could confidently chase after the monsters in the first tier. However, when he saw that Tianyin was still not satisfied and quickly tiptoed to look behind her, the young man couldn't help but smile. Now that he was forced to slow down, he no longer had to worry about anyone overtaking him.

Sure enough, when they saw Tianyin tiptoeing to find her target, everyone started to slow down. They had all witnessed firsthand how terrifying Tianyin's burst of speed was. This girl, who had sprinted for a full five kilometers without even panting, was at least a professional athlete, and a rather advanced one at that. If they were blocked by such a professional athlete, they would be extremely frustrated. So, they all slowed down to curry favor, begging Tianyin, this goddess, to hurry up and go to her first tier to wreak havoc on those stronger athletes.

Just as they were exchanging glances, Tianyin accelerated again, instantly putting a distance of two or three hundred meters between himself and the young man behind him. This terrifying burst of speed startled the young man, who instinctively staggered and almost fell on the half-marathon track.

He initially thought it would be understandable if some extraordinary runners appeared in a full marathon, since a full marathon attracts more viewers and has higher profiles. But why are there so many top runners participating in a half marathon, which is more about participation and has a broader appeal? Has the world really gotten this complicated?

Amane was unaware that the young man had already come to regard her as a monster, but even if she did, she would probably just laugh it off, since she was originally known as the monster of the Miyako family, and the term "monster" sounded rather cute.

Because of her dazzling performance, the organizers specially arranged two cameras to film Tianyin in close-up throughout the entire performance. After all, how could a girl who could unleash explosive power comparable to professional players be an ordinary person? If she really had a stroke of luck and encountered a future world-class professional player, then their recording would be a valuable proof of a world-class player's preliminary round, and it wouldn't be a problem to sell it for a high price. What's more, there really was a world-class champion among the contestants this time.

"Tobita-kun is terrifyingly strong..."

Fukada, who was desperately chasing from second place, looked with awe at the figure ahead of him, who was a good six or seven hundred meters ahead.

He was doing his best to catch up, but even though he had run a third of the total distance, the gap between them was still incredibly large.

He was so powerful that he could never be arrogant; this was an absolute crushing of strength, something that could not be overturned with mere words.

At the same time, Jun, who was following closely behind him, grinned after hearing Fukada's remark but did not say anything.

From the very beginning, he didn't think he would be a match for the world champion, and even hoped that the former world champion would teach Fukada a lesson and make him curb his arrogance.

It's true that Fukada is now convinced, but he has lost all his ambition. The combined effect of talent and hard work is something that ordinary people can't surpass just by working hard.

Just as Sun Zijun was considering whether to ask Feitian for an autograph after the competition ended, he suddenly heard a burst of exclamations from the contestants behind him.

"Look! What's that?"

"My God! That speed! Is he another professional player?"

"What a joke! She looks even younger than my daughter, she must be some kind of genius newcomer, right? We're really lucky, hahaha..."

Genius girl?

What are they talking about?

Sun Zijun heard the exclamations behind him and was slightly concerned. Although he also had an absolute lead, he couldn't get first place anyway, so it didn't really matter whether he got third or fourth.

For him in particular, there was almost no difference.

Driven by curiosity, Sun Zijun turned his head to peek behind him, when a familiar face appeared before his eyes.

Sweat soaked the girl's white hair, making it stick firmly to her forehead. Her mysterious purple eyes were filled with coldness and determination. Jun recognized the girl in front of him at a glance as the arrogant guy named Miyako.

Wait... a genius... girl?

Could it be...?

next second.

Amane brushed past Jun, easily overtaking him, and then Jun heard Fukada's shocked voice.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Jun shook his head with a wry smile. Of course he knew why Fukada had made such a loud noise in shock. Anyone who had just mocked a girl who seemed to be overestimating herself, only to have her knock you to the ground and step on your face to make you realize the difference in strength, would find such a sudden and huge change unacceptable.

Fukada roared and started to accelerate again, but his speed dropped sharply after running only 300 meters. Marathons are a test of endurance, and even half marathons are no exception. The pace, cadence, and energy distribution throughout the process are all strictly considered. Fukada's impulsiveness caused his rhythm to be completely disrupted, and he had to stop and readjust.

"This time, Fukada has really hit a brick wall."

Seeing that Tenon was rushing straight towards Tobita, Jun looked relieved. Luckily, he hadn't mocked Tenon, otherwise he would have been the one to lose face.

As he ran, Fei Tian hummed a song in the middle of it. He had already inquired about the city and found out that there were no strong people in it. It was the perfect place for him to relax. Just last month, his half-marathon world record was broken by someone else. Although he still enjoys countless honors and praise from everyone as the holder of the highest record in his country.

Everyone was hoping he could pull off a comeback and bring this world-class honor back to them. Although the new record holder was only a little over a minute faster, as a professional athlete, he knew very well that catching up by that minute was not so easy. He might never be able to surpass this record in his entire life, because the later stages tested the limits of the human body. To put it bluntly, in the end, it was almost a battle of willpower and physical talent. His physical talent was inferior to his opponent's, and no matter how much he trained, he could only close the gap. To surpass him? Fei Tian dared not even dream of such a scenario.

Feeling overwhelmed by public opinion, Fei Tian decided to relax by participating in a half-marathon race. He wanted to get back into the swing of things and also figure out that playing against weaker opponents would be good for his mental and physical health.

As for the possibility of a crash? Fei Tian never considered this possibility, because he is the No.1 in the country's half marathon, and there are only a few people who can match him, and they are all acquaintances. Now that none of them are participating, winning the race will be a piece of cake.

"Ok?"

Tobita, who was humming a tune, noticed something was wrong.

The wind speed coming from behind him had become much more violent, and he was leading the second-place player by nearly a kilometer, so the victory was practically assured. But now he could hear the sound of heavy stomping on the ground getting closer and closer.

Oh no! Someone's catching up.

Before Feitian could even see who it was, Tianyin swept past him like a hurricane, her exaggerated momentum leaving Feitian dumbfounded.

The world has really changed. How can a girl run so fast? It would be a miracle if she wasn't taking asthma medication!

At this moment, Feitian couldn't care less about elegance and composure. He immediately put all his strength into chasing after Tianyin. He knew very well that it didn't matter if he beat some weaker opponents. People would say he was just relaxing. It didn't matter if he was occasionally beaten by those who were on par with him. People would say that winning and losing are common occurrences in sports.

But if he loses to a girl, especially one who is obviously a virgin, he will lose face big time. People might even question his match-fixing and his professional attitude.

In severe cases, it could even affect his career, so Tobita chased after Amane frantically, but the more he chased, the more strange things seemed to happen.

Logically speaking, the maximum sprint distance for a normal person should be 50 to 80 meters. Only athletes with professional training can maintain a long sprint distance for a long time. For example, the current world champion in the full marathon ran 42 kilometers in less than two hours, which averages about 17 seconds per 100 meters. It doesn't sound very fast, right? There are many people who can run 100 meters in under nine seconds. 17 seconds is just an average data, not even considered excellent.

The problem is that some people have maintained this speed for a full two hours!

This is the truly extraordinary place.

Tianyin's current state is close to that state, or even faster!

The race had been going on for about 55 minutes, with less than 4 kilometers left to the finish line. Seeing this, Tianyin immediately sped up again and rushed toward the finish line.

Severely dehydrated, Tobita gritted his teeth and desperately chased after Amane. Amane had a distance advantage and could easily get drinking water from the supply point, but Tobita, who was desperately chasing, dared not waste a single second. He could only grit his teeth and chase desperately from behind, but he found that no matter how hard he tried, he could not catch up with Amane.

He chased Tianyin for a full five kilometers, but there was still a gap of at least three hundred meters between them. It seemed like not too far, but in reality, it was a situation where he was completely outmatched.

Feitian's face was ashen; he no longer had the strength to accelerate, but Tianyin seemed to be getting more and more excited as she ran, making Feitian's eyelids twitch uncontrollably.

Finally, this cruel ordeal came to an end.

The first place winner, Miyako Amane, took 69 minutes.

The second place finisher, Takayuki Tobita, took 72 minutes.

Normally, running under 70 minutes wouldn't have been a problem for Tobita, since he once ran under 60 minutes at his peak. However, after being defeated by Amane, he lost his motivation. In addition, Amane completely deviated from his pacing plan, which caused Tobita to become exhausted in the last three kilometers or so, resulting in a poor performance.

Seeing that the first-place winner, Amane, was only slightly sweating, Tobita's expression was exceptionally...interesting.

Heaven knows that such a remote place could casually produce a world-class athlete, who even dared to compete against him in his specialty, and she actually won! This made the former world record holder sigh and remark how much the world has changed...

Chapter 178: Hida

7 month 16 day.

First and second-year students who participated in the special "survival" exam bid farewell to their classmates who were eliminated due to failing the special training, and then boarded a bus to embark on their journey to Hida City.

Hida City is a mountain city located in the mid-western part of Honshu Island, Japan. Surrounded by mountains, its development has been somewhat affected. Due to limitations in transportation and other aspects, there are only about 20,000 residents living here. However, in terms of city fame, it might be easier to find it by starting from the bottom.