Dimensional Overmatch

"Everyone, train seriously!"

"Stop slacking off!"

"There are only four spots left on the team. Whoever performs best will represent the school in the competition!"

At the gymnasium, Guo Xiangyuan had abandoned his usual hands-off approach and was sternly pushing the team members to train.

They had just finished their final exams, and in the middle of the coming summer vacation, the Martial Arts Team would face the most important martial arts competition of the year.

The competition was being jointly hosted by eight middle schools in the district.

It was scheduled for August 1.

So, in the month leading up to the competition, Guo Xiangyuan had called all the team members back to school for intensive training.

Afterward, four team members would be chosen to represent the school based on their training results.

While Guo Xiangyuan was pushing the seven team members through grueling training, Lin Zichen, who had already secured a spot on the team and didn't need to train with the others, was off to the side training Shen Qinghan.

Ever since Shen Qinghan had decided to enroll in the Martial Arts Class for high school as well, Lin Zichen had drawn up a summer training plan for her to improve her physical fitness.

To avoid interfering with her growth, the plan wasn't very strenuous. There were only a few things on it each day:

One: Jog 3,000 meters to build endurance.

Two: Practice martial arts techniques for an hour to improve her punches and kicks.

Three: Do push-ups, sit-ups, squats, pull-ups, and other muscle-building exercises, doing a dozen or so of each, within her limits, to improve her physical strength.

That was all.

Even so, Shen Qinghan, who was rather frail, still found it hard to keep up.

She had just finished exercising, and was already exhausted, slumped on the ground and panting nonstop, drenched in sweat.

"Hanhan, you can do it. You finished today's workout without a problem, too."

Lin Zichen unscrewed a bottle of sports drink and handed it to Shen Qinghan, commending her dedication to training.

Shen Qinghan took the drink and had a few sips. Her breathing was still a little uneven as she said, "Xiao Chen, working out is exhausting. It's way more tiring than studying."

"Of course. You're bound to sweat." Lin Zichen took the yoga mat beside them and spread it out. Then he knelt on it and said, "Come on, lie face down on the mat and spread your legs. I'll help loosen up your muscles."

Shen Qinghan obediently lay down on the yoga mat and parted her slender, straight legs a little.

Seeing that, Lin Zichen quickly began massaging her with practiced ease.

Maybe he was pressing too hard, irritating her sore muscles too much.

Every now and then, Shen Qinghan let out a shy, muffled moan. Her hands instinctively clenched the yoga mat, and she looked uncomfortable.

When it became too much, she couldn't help crying out that it hurt and asking him to go lighter.

Unfortunately, he couldn't go lighter.

To quickly clear the lactic acid built up in her muscles, he had to press firmly as he massaged; otherwise, it wouldn't work.

He massaged her calves first, then her thighs, and finally her arms. In just over ten minutes, Lin Zichen had massaged almost her entire body.

When he felt he'd done enough, he took a clean set of clothes from his backpack and handed them to Shen Qinghan. "Go take a shower. Once you're done, we'll head home."

"Okay, I'll be quick." Shen Qinghan rose from the yoga mat, feeling refreshed all over. She took the clothes Lin Zichen handed her and headed to the changing room.

After every training session, she loved having Lin Zichen massage her body firmly with his hands.

The process was a little uncomfortable, but afterward her whole body felt relaxed and especially good.

A month later.

The intensive training ended.

The five competitors had all been chosen.

Zhang Kai, who was something of a wild card, hadn't made the cut.

Disheartened, he quit the Martial Arts Team as soon as he heard the results. He wasn't even going to watch the competition.

But no one thought much of it. Everyone carried on with their lives as usual.

Early the next morning.

Guo Xiangyuan drove the school bus, taking the team members to the City Sports Stadium for the competition.

Shen Qinghan went along, too, saying she wanted to cheer for Lin Zichen from the stands as his biggest fan.

Lin Yansheng and Zhang Wanxin also made time to come watch, ready to cheer on their son.

As for Xu Meng and Shen Jianye, the two of them were teaching the senior class this year. They were working overtime at school to give their students lessons and couldn't get away to watch the competition.

Still, they had asked Shen Qinghan to record Lin Zichen's matches and bring the videos home for them.

The competitors from all eight schools lined up in the athletes' rest area, waiting to draw their opponents.

The rules were simple: schools faced off against one another, and it would take just three rounds to determine the champion.

One round a day, and the competition would be over in three days.

Soon, the draw results were out.

Lin Zichen's Shanhai High School had unfortunately drawn the strongest team, Shanhai No. 1 Middle School.

When Guo Xiangyuan saw the results, his expression changed at once.

The other four team members looked just as grim. They all felt they would be eliminated in the first round.

One of them, a competitor named Li Shutong, surrendered before the match even began. "We're done for. I heard No. 1 Middle School has a monster this year who can run a hundred meters in under nine seconds. We're definitely going to get crushed!"

"What nonsense are you talking about? We have Zichen. It's still anyone's game," Guo Xiangyuan said, glaring at Li Shutong.

That was what he said, but even the coach himself didn't feel confident.

In his eyes, Lin Zichen was impressive, but he was still only a first-year middle school student who hadn't yet reached his full potential. Against a monster who could run a hundred meters in under nine seconds, he'd probably get crushed.

I just hope it doesn't crush his confidence, too.

If he loses faith in himself, that'll be a huge loss.

He'll have to carry the Martial Arts Team for the next two years... Guo Xiangyuan fretted.

Lin Zichen, the one at the center of it all, wore a calm expression. His heart didn't stir in the slightest.

Running a hundred meters in nine seconds was impressive, but compared to his own time of 4.61 seconds, the opponent was no more than an ant he could squash with a single finger.

Before long, the first round began.

The opening match was Shanhai High School versus Shanhai No. 1 Middle School.

"Which of you four wants to go first?"

Guo Xiangyuan looked at the other four team members, excluding Lin Zichen.

None of them spoke. They were all too scared to step up first.

Shanhai No. 1 Middle School had won last year, and the other team was even stronger this year. Going out to face them first was basically the same as being the first to get beaten up.

Middle schoolers cared about saving face more than anything. No one wanted to be the first to go out and embarrass themselves.

"None of you wants to go first?"

Guo Xiangyuan frowned. Seeing that no one was willing to step onto the platform first, he finally said, "If none of you wants to go first, we'll draw lots to decide."

With that, he started to fetch some paper and a pen.

But before he could take two steps, Lin Zichen spoke up. "Coach, I'll go."

Guo Xiangyuan immediately refused. "No. You're our trump card. You need to save your strength for last and make the most of your advantage."

The advantage of going last was that he could observe his opponents' habits from below the platform, learn their strengths and weaknesses, and win every battle.

But Lin Zichen, whose strength surpassed everyone else's, didn't need that at all.

What he needed was to defeat as many opponents as possible and complete his Achievement missions sooner so he could claim his rewards.

So he said earnestly, "Coach, I want to go first."

Guo Xiangyuan fell silent, not answering right away.

But seeing the earnest look in Lin Zichen's eyes, and knowing the other four truly didn't want to go, he finally had no choice but to give in.

"Fine. Zichen, you'll go first."

Once both sides had decided who would compete first,

the opening match of the first round was about to begin.

The opponent's first competitor was a big boy over 1.9 meters tall, with muscles all over. He sat on the Martial Platform like a mountain, radiating an overwhelming presence.

Lin Zichen, whose body hadn't developed as quickly and who was still under 1.7 meters tall, stood before him like a newly hatched chick, easy to crush with a single squeeze.

"You're a junior from Shanhai. I saw your information on the roster. Not bad—you're already standing on the platform at the Eight-School League in your first year of middle school. You've got a lot of potential."

On the Martial Platform, the big boy smiled with an honest, almost goofy expression.

Seeing how warmly he smiled, Lin Zichen thought he seemed like a pretty nice guy.

But just as Lin Zichen was about to politely respond, the other boy's demeanor suddenly changed. His eyes turned scornful.

"But what I'm saying is, this isn't a place for a first-year like you, especially a short first-year who hasn't even reached 1.7 meters."

As he spoke, the other boy suddenly tensed his whole body, showing off his massive chest muscles. With a dramatic, chuunibyou expression, he said, "In a moment, I'll show you what a difference in size means—and what a difference in strength means!"