Jeisuke clenched his jaw and pushed harder.
Jeisuke (thinking):
Give it everything, Jeisuke. You're strong. You're the strongest…
Nothing happened.
Not even a tremor.
Jeisuke (thinking):
No… please… move…
Jeisuke:
"Auhhhhhh—! Aughhhh…!"
Still nothing.
His arms shook violently before he finally staggered back, completely drained.
Jeisuke stood there in silence—embarrassed, exhausted, and confused.
Shizuku frowned.
Shizuku:
"Hey… are you guys messing around or something? This is starting to make me uncomfortable."
Akaimo stepped forward again.
Akaimo:
"Watch me this time."
He placed his hands on the rock.
Akaimo (thinking):
If Shizuku can do it… then I can too. Maybe…
He focused.
Akaimo:
"Auhhhhhhggg… move… move already… you HAVE to move!"
The rock shifted.
Just slightly.
But it moved.
Akaimo's eyes widened.
Akaimo:
"Yes!! I did it! Okay, it's not much—but I made progress!"
Jeisuke quietly pulled Akaimo aside.
Jeisuke (low voice):
"Akaimo… tell me exactly what you did. Please."
Akaimo scratched his head.
Akaimo:
"I honestly don't know, man. Maybe I used more strength… or maybe I was just more focused this time."
Shino stepped forward.
Shino:
"My turn."
He placed his hands on the rock, his breathing steady.
Shino (thinking):
Just… focus.
He pushed.
Nothing happened at first.
Then—
The rock began to slide.
Slowly.
5 meters.
10 meters.
16 meters.
Jeisuke's eyes widened.
Jeisuke:
"Woah… that's huge progress. Nice one."
Shizuku turned to Momoshimo.
Shizuku:
"Go, Momoshimo. After you, I'll finish the rest. I already did 20—so I still owe 80."
Momoshimo stepped in, completely silent.
He pushed.
Nothing.
Momoshimo (thinking):
Focus, Momoshimo. Focus everything—now!
The rock began to move.
10 meters.
15 meters.
20 meters.
24 meters.
Jeisuke:
"Woah… that's the farthest anyone's gotten so far. Great job."
Shizuku stepped forward.
Shizuku:
"Everyone—stop talking."
The air went quiet.
She stared at the rock, unmoving, unblinking.
Shizuku (thinking):
It's just a rock. Push it like before… and focus.
She pushed.
The rock slid forward.
10 meters.
23 meters.
34 meters.
47 meters.
60 meters—
It stopped.
Shizuku frowned.
Shizuku (thinking):
No… focus harder.
The rock moved again.
68 meters.
79 meters—
And finally—
80 meters.
Shizuku stepped back, breathing heavily, staring at the distance she had pushed it.
Shizuku:
"…It felt lighter than before."
She looked at the others.
Shizuku:
"Is this connected to our ability to focus?"
Silence.
Then realization hit them all at once.
They finally understood what Shinji-sensei meant—
This rock wasn't testing strength.
It was testing the mind.