Chapter 384: Advancement

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Phillip had finally found his running rhythm.

The disadvantage brought about by the prosthesis at the start of the race was too great.

The mere difference between starting positions, the crouching start and the standing start, had induced a gap of a few tenths of a second. Not to mention the initial acceleration phase after the start. Phillip had close to zero extra force generated from stomping the ground. That was why Phillip had lagged behind at the start.

However, after the initial stage of the race, Phillip gradually found his running rhythm, and his pace was not inferior to any other athlete on the field.

The contestants had all entered the first 100 meters of straight track. Upon reaching the straight track, and after the acceleration at the start of the race, their speed had reached a considerably high level.

In the 400m race, the second 100 meters used up the least time. Because it was a straight track, athletes did not need any additional power to counter the centripetal force of a turn, so their pace was definitely faster than their pace at the bend. The athletes still had plenty of stored energy, so the lactate produced during anaerobic exercise was still dormant, and muscle fatigue was not a problem yet. These factors were all beneficial to an increase in pace.

In truth, it was difficult for athletes of similar standards to widen the gap during this phase. Phillip was also not behind anyone. He didn't have legs, so he could not generate a significant amount of force by stomping the ground. However, his carbon fiber prosthesis, the Flex-Foot Cheetah, could provide him with an extra spring. It made up for the lack of power from the start of the race.

However, that only helped him avoid getting left behind, and even after putting his all into running, he could only maintain his pace to keep the others from catching up.

...

The weird feeling is back again! A very hard to notice light flashed within Phillip's eyes, and it was hard to tell if it was sadness or happiness.

Phillip was once again having an illusion; he felt that he had not lost his legs. In the last two weeks, Phillip had been experiencing this illusion almost every day, especially after he found his running rhythm. He would always feel that he was running with his legs, not his prosthesis.

That feeling made Phillip feel comfortable and happy. It was like he was one with his prosthesis. All those layers of carbon fiber were his legs!

A voice appeared in Phillip's mind, screaming from deep within his heart.

Run!

At that moment, he threw away all his anxieties, and he forgot that he was a disabled person who had lost both his legs. In his mind, there was only one desire; it was to run happily.

　　...

Oliver shifted his gaze in an attempt to gauge the positions of the other athletes. His focus finally stopped at the rightmost position, which was also the shadow of the one who was furthest in front, as well as a pair of black-colored prosthesis.

Although it was made up of 80 layers of carbon fiber, the prosthesis was not thick, hence the description of "blade." Under the sunshine, the light reflected from the pair of prosthesis was really like a pair of razor sharp blades!

It's really like a blade, was that how he got the nickname "blade warrior"? The question suddenly flashed through Oliver's mind.

I'm in the middle of a race, what am I thinking! Damn that prosthesis, who cares about it, I should be focused on the position of the other contestants! Oliver forced himself to focus. It was then that he finally realized that Phillip seemed to be just as fast as the others.

I originally thought that he would get left behind from the start. Who would have thought that his pace wasn't that much slower than us able-bodied athletes? From the corner of his eye, Oliver noticed that Phillip was once again heading into another bend.

The third 100 meters, which was also the toughest part of the 400m sprint.

Reaching this stage, athletes would have spent half of their stored energy, anaerobic exercise would have started to provide energy to the body. At the same time, the lactate produced in the previous 200 meters would have begun affecting the body, making the runners feel fatigued. At this stage, the human body would start to feel the agony brought about by a lack of oxygen, and some people might even feel suffocated, and would want to stop to take a deep breath. That feeling was comparable to being tortured. It was regarded as the toughest stage of the 400m race, one that any sprinter around the world would find difficult. Runners had to clench their teeth and persevere to make it through.

The limits of human physiology would force an athlete to slow down so that he could adjust the state of his body. Using aerobic exercise to obtain energy, and at the same time, trying to accumulate as much energy as possible to prepare for the final 100 meter dash. So, athletes spent the most time during the second bend in the 400m sprint.

Phillip's pace was as quick as ever. The second part of the 400m sprint was the most advantageous for Phillip. He used less energy as he ran, and less lactate was produced in his muscles. As the others began to adjust, slow down, and accumulate energy, Phillip continued running while maintaining his previous rhythm and speed.

However, nobody paid any particular attention to him. He was located at the outermost track, which was also the track that was least attractive. He was a disabled person, so he was naturally ignored. Everyone was focused on Oliver, Garcia, and other strong contestants.

On the field, the competition between athletes reached its peak during this bend. The spectators would elongate their necks, widen their eyes, and wait for the moment the athletes entered the final straight.

Starting positions varied in a 400m sprint, as some started in front while others were at the back. Because of this, spectators would only be able to tell who was in the lead and who was in last place after the athletes made it onto the final stretch of straight track in the race.

"The last 100m dash, who will lead?" someone asked. Immediately after, the first runner made it into the final stretch.

The first leg that went past the line that signified the start of the last stretch was not a leg, it was a black-colored blade with the sole of a sneaker beneath it!

"It's the blade warrior!" came a deafening shout.

Only then did everyone discover that the runner in the lead was actually Phillip!

Phillip was placed on the outermost track, and he had to run a huge circle, so his starting position was further forward. So, in the race, Phillip's position was always in front

However, now that they had entered the final stretch of straight track, if Phillip was still in the lead, then it could only mean one thing. He was the fastest among them all!

Many spectators looked on in disbelief. In the race of the "group of death," the fastest person was actually a disabled person who had lost both his legs! No one would have believed it if they were not witnessing it themselves.

"Oh my God, what did I just see!"

　　...

The last 100 meters. Get ready to dash! Oliver worked hard to adjust his breathing rhythm. He was going to enter the final stretch of straight track. He had made his preparations for the dash, and he was about to release all the energy that he had stored.

Go! I'm going to advance as the number one of the group! Oliver stole a glance at the track on his left as he thought about that.

On Oliver's left was a young man named Rudy Jackson. His personal best was 0.06 seconds faster than Oliver's, and he was younger than Oliver. He could be said to be Oliver's biggest rival.

However, Jackson had also turned his head sideways. He was looking to the right, though the expression on his face looked like he had just seen a ghost.

We're in the middle of a race and this guy still has time to make faces! Oliver was a little irritated, but he instantly sensed that Jackson was not looking at him.

Oliver subconsciously moved his eyeballs to the right.

On the left in front of him, a cold channel of lights reflected from Phillip's black-colored "blades."

Why is that disabled person in front of me! The expression on Oliver's face was even worse than Jackson's.

　　...

Lopez, the competition committee officer, rose from his seat. He had lost all his previous calm and cool.

Why is he in the lead? How is a disabled person running faster than a normal person? Impossible! He must be cheating! Lopez shouted in his mind.

However, Lopez knew that there was no way to cheat. Since the start of the race, Lopez's gaze had not once strayed from the tracks, so there was simply no way for anyone to cheat under his surveillance. Even if Lopez had missed something, there were hundreds of other eyes all around him.

It can't be, this disabled person is going to advance!

Lopez felt like scolding someone. He had put Phillip in the "group of death" because he wanted to prevent Phillip from advancing into the official races. However, reality had cruelly slapped him in the face!

Those seven idiots! They can't even beat a disabled person! Lopez had begun cursing in his heart; however, cursing was all he could do. He could only stare in disbelief as Phillip ran past the finish line, advancing through to the official races on the next day.

　　...

The last 80 meters. The frequency of their steps increased, and they went into a sprint.

The last 60 meters. The gap widened, and the ones in the lead were still struggling and battling against each other.

The last 40 meters. Some of them slowed down, having used up most of their stored energy.

The last 20 meters. Every step demanded tremendous determination and strength. At this stage, almost everyone relied on inertia to push themselves forward.

Like everyone else, Phillip persevered. He had also used up all his energy, however, unlike the others, he had to bear an additional pain.

400 meters of high-intensity running. His knee bore a considerable amount of stress. His knee was where he fixed his prosthesis, and so it had to withstand even more compression and friction, while supporting the weight of his entire body.

However, Phillip was already used to it. He was used to the feeling of compression and friction. He was used to continuing his run under such pain and duress.

For him, as long as his pain would bring him success, it was worth it.

Phillip ran in front, his eyes staring straight ahead. That was the finish line!

And then, the finish line was in front of him!

He stepped onto the white finish line without hesitation. He was the first to run past the finish line…