『』『』『』『』『』
The sports festival was proceeding with great intensity.
After the dissatisfying victory of the Class D and A coalition against the Class C and B coalition, they didn't have any time for a break. The events continued one after another, and the overall result could be considered average. It wasn't particularly good, but it wasn't bad either.
Class A, in particular, had been performing well. A student named Shibata Sho stood out in many of the individual events. He was quite athletic. While not as overwhelming as Sudou, compared to most of the first-year students, it was still impressive.
As of now, the boys were preparing for the three-legged race.
Meanwhile, things seemed to be getting rocky for the first-year girls in the ongoing obstacle course. Horikita was doing her best to make up for her earlier results, but the two Class B students had already put some distance between themselves and her right from the start of the race.
"I've seen this happen before."
"Looks like she's in the same group as Yajima-san and Kinoshita-san again."
Horikita was gifted in both athletics and academics, but beating someone who specialized in one of those wasn't exactly easy.
When the race had started earlier, Kinoshita dashed forward and went straight for the balance beam. She reached it first and quickly created a gap between herself and the others. Yajima followed in second place, with Horikita in third.
Of course, knowing Horikita, placing anywhere other than first was unacceptable by her standards. That was why she was pushing herself with everything she had now, trying to make up for her earlier results.
"Looks like she's got a chance."
Sudou cheered for Horikita, his hands tightly clenched into fists. By the time the girls reached the net crawl, Horikita had taken the lead. However, Kinoshita was fast. Between each obstacle, she steadily closed the distance and held onto second place.
Yajima wasn't about to give up her position either. Horikita sprinted forward with everything she had, trying to secure her lead. During the final obstacle, the sack race, Kinoshita lost her balance for a moment. Horikita used that chance to close the gap and pass her, then ran ahead as fast as she could.
The gap between them was only one or two seconds.
Horikita ran at full speed for the final fifty meters.
However, she must have been worried about Kinoshita catching up, because she kept glancing over her shoulder. Each time she did, her speed dropped slightly, and before long, the two were running side by side again.
Then suddenly, as Horikita tried to push ahead and Kinoshita tried to catch up, their legs tangled.
They both fell.
"Whoa! Hey, something big just happened!"
Ayanokouji, who wasn't paying attention to the obstacle race at the moment because he was too far away, couldn't get a clear look. However, from what he could see, it seemed like a serious fall. Other students passed by Horikita one after another, and before long, both Horikita and Kinoshita had dropped to the bottom of the rankings.
"...This is not good."
"What's the matter, Ayanokouji-kun?" Hirata, who was coincidentally standing next to him, asked.
"If an 'accident' happens again, it might be too much to believe," Ayanokouji replied. This was the first time he had brought it up.
"You think so too? I'd say the others are starting to notice as well. This doesn't look good."
"In that case, can I leave you to take care of everyone?"
"Of course. That's my role," Hirata answered.
It was a relief to see him accept the task without any hesitation.
Ayanokouji then headed toward Horikita, who was sitting with a sullen expression. Her body language clearly showed her frustration.
"Does it hurt?" he asked.
"A little. But it won't affect the competition. If I rest, I'll be fine."
She tried to act tough, but even sitting down seemed difficult for her. From the looks of it, she had likely sprained her leg from the fall.
Then suddenly-
『Horikita-chan! Are you okay!? 』
The moment she heard that voice, Horikita's expression stiffened.
"Ayanokouji-kun, can you chase him away right now? If you do, I might at least consider you a friend at this school."
"So my position is that low, huh..."
Unfortunately for her, Kumagawa arrived faster than expected. Even Ayanokouji was slightly surprised by his speed that might have even surpassed Sudou's.
『Horikita-chan, Horikita-chan! What happened? 』
"..."
She didn't answer-or rather, it felt like she didn't acknowledge Kumagawa's presence at all.
『Good grief... this is definitely a problem. For now, allow me to offer you my condolences.』
"Condolences? What for? Besides, I don't need your condolences."
『Oh, sorry, did I make it sound like I was feeling sorry for you? You did make several careless moves up to this point. And now, in your condition, what else can I offer except condolences? Isn't that right, Ayanokouji-kun? 』
He turned to Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji looked at Horikita's current condition.
Even though Kumagawa's words were slightly passive-aggressive, he couldn't say they were wrong. There had been several moments in the competition where Horikita's decisions, while not exactly mistakes, were still her responsibility to notice, especially given her position.
Preparing to himself to be pummeled, Ayanokouji lightly touch her injury.
"Ow!"
"This isn't going to affect the competition, huh?"
"Don't just go touching me. Leave me alone. I'll endure it," Horikita said, glaring at him.
"Well, I suppose you won't get any points if you withdraw. I understand why you want to keep going."
Ayanokouji expected her to keep glaring at him, but she suddenly changed the topic. "More importantly, that girl's a sneak. It's like she was looking to hurt me,"
『What do you mean? 』
"....."
Every time Kumagawa spoke, Horikita's expression turned visibly worse. Whether it was because he contributed nothing to the class, especially in this sports festival, or simply because of his personality, Horikita clearly disliked him with a passion.
"...While she was running behind me, she kept calling my name," Horikita eventually answerd.
So that was why she had looked back so many times during the race.
"I thought it was strange. The moment I turned to look at her, we collided. It looked like an accident, but if that's the case, then why was she calling my name? I wanted to point it out."
There was a good chance this had been an orchestrated attack to make Horikita fall, and she herself also realized that. But there's not much she can do about it, because even if they report it, as far as the school judge, Kinoshita didn't break any rules.
"Honestly, I can't keep up with this. To think we're still in the middle..." she muttered.
"Anyway, don't worry about me. Worry about yourself, Ayanokouji-kun. Your results are worse than mine, aren't they?" She currently had thirty points, while Ayanokouji had twenty-seven.
"I'll do everything I can. But don't push yourself, all right?"
"I'll participate, even if I have to crawl," Horikita said.
"And you..." She looked at Kumagawa with a conflicted expression, though it leaned more toward dislike. "Just do your best in the scavenger hunt later."
Even though she still disliked him and wanted to force him to take part in more events, there was nothing she could do now that the participation list had already been submitted. All she could do was hope he would perform well in the one and only event assigned to him.
『Don't worry, Horikita-chan. Even if I have to injure myself, I'll do my best later. 』
"..."
That response only made her expression turn even colder. Without saying anything more, Horikita left the two of them and began preparing for the next event despite her injury.
"I know you were trying to sound enthusiastic, but could you try not to provoke her?" Ayanokouji said. "It'll be troublesome if her mental state gets worse in her condition."
『Huh? What are you talking about?』 Kumagawa tilted his head. 『I meant it literally though. Even if I have to injure myself, I'll do my very best later. Horikita-chan asked me so nicely, after all. 』
"You call that nice...?"
Kumagawa nodded in response.
It was less kindness and more that she was simply looking down on his ability as a human.
Soon afterward, Hirata came from the opposite direction, likely to get Ayanokouji for their next event, the three-legged race.
"Ah, you're here, Kumagawa-kun. How are your injuries?" Hirata greeted him nicely.
『Well, so far so good. I think my hand is healing nicely, and my head injury is also recovering well.』
"That's great," Hirata said, clearly relieved. "In that case, I guess I don't have to worry about the scavenger hun-"
『But they did say it might leave a permanent dent in my skull. It's just not visible from the outside. 』
"..."
『But don't worry. I'm quite used to this level of violence and injury, given my home environment. 』
"...I-is that so?" Hirata tried to keep up appearances as he replied.
Honestly, hearing that, Hirata had no words beyond that. Anything more would have felt wrong for all kinds of reasons. That thought led him to glance at Ayanokouji, who was clearly trying not to get involved in their conversation.
It was far too specific to be brushed off as just a personality trait. Not to mention the kind of home environment someone would need to go through to consider that level of violence and injury as normal.
It was hard to imagine.
Sensing he had no other way to respond, Hirata quickly shifted his attention to Ayanokouji and asked, "...So, how's Horikita-san doing?"
"It's pretty serious. It'll probably affect the other events," Ayanokouji replied.
"This is bad," Hirata said. "First Sudou-kun, now Horikita-san... No matter how I look at it, this has to be Ryuen's doing. What do you two think?"
The three of them talked as they walked. Since the three-legged race was still a few minutes away, Hirata decided to confirm whether his suspicion was correct. As they walked, the three of them began to draw attention. Most of it was directed at Kumagawa Misogi, who was walking alongside them. The second-years, in particular, were watching closely, along with many first-years.
However, Ayanokouji and Hirata didn't pay it much mind. Besides, their attention only last for a short while, as most students were focused on their own events and doing their best.
『I wonder. 』 Kumagawa sounded calm, not concerned at all. 『As strong as your suspicion toward Ryuen-chan is, it might not be entirely his doing, you know? Isn't this a team battle between the red team and the white team? In other words, a battle between Class A and D against Class B and C?』
"What do you mean, Kumagawa-kun?"
『If this is a team battle, shouldn't you also consider that Sakayanagi-chan might have a hand in it too? Unlike the previous special exam where she can't participated directly, even if she isn't taking part this time, it doesn't mean she can't intervene from the outside. 』
Sakayanagi Arisu.
The de facto leader of the current Class C.
Even though Sakayanagi herself wasn't participating in the current sports festival due to her condition, her former rival, Katsuragi, had inevitably taken the role of leading Class C for now. Even so, it still felt as though Sakayanagi remained the true leader of the class.
She might have ordered her classmates to follow Katsuragi's lead during this sports festival, but at the same time, she still held the higher authority in terms of priority.
"But if that's the case, why would Ryuen let his classmate be sacrificed? Didn't Kinoshita also get hurt? As far as I know, she's one of the more athletic girls, alongside Ibuki. Wouldn't it be a loss for Ryuen's class if someone like her got injured and couldn't participate?" Ayanokouji said.
『There might be some kind of deal between Ryuen-chan and Sakayanagi-chan. Some kind of hidden contract. After all, this is that kind of school, right? So it wouldn't be strange to assume there's an agreement where Ryuen takes on the burden in exchange for something. 』
While it came as a surprise to Ayanokouji, Kumagawa's reasoning was sound. Considering his usual way of thinking, it was unexpected that the most abnormal one among them could understand the subtleties at play here.
"I see... that's definitely possible," Hirata added. "But even so, I don't think this changes our situation that much when it comes to Ryuen's threat in this event."
It was true. It didn't change their situation much, but at the very least, Hirata was able to see that.
"That's right," Ayanokouji said. "For now, why don't we stay on guard against Class B first? As far as we know, Sakayanagi's class probably can't act too recklessly given their current situation. If Kumagawa's assumption is correct, that might also explain why Ryuen is willing to bear the burden."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"That's why we should be a bit more cautious of Ryuen's class."
"I agree."
Speaking of which, Kumagawa Misogi.
Once he finsihed speaking his assumption with Ryuen and Sakayanagi, and after hearing what they had to say, she quietly leave without offering anymore words or thought.
His attitude was really standoffish, completely different from his usual annoying attitude.
Hirata and Ayanokouji continued talking as they walked toward the field. Soon, they tied their legs together for the first-year boys' three-legged race. The events followed one after another without pause. It was impressively organized, almost like watching a live television program.
Since the race required two people per team, only four teams could run at once. Sudou, who was in the group ahead of them, was already at the starting line. He was paired with Ike, and it was obvious he was still holding back a lot of frustration.
At first glance, their pairing looked risky. But with the right approach, they could seize victory.
In a sense, it was the most extreme way to run a three-legged race.
Sudou dashed forward with full force, almost dragging Ike along with him. From the very first step, he showed overwhelming strength.
"Aaahhh!" Ike cried out in pain.
It was close to being foul play, but not enough to be called out. In the end, they secured first place, with Sudou practically holding Ike up so he wouldn't collapse.
"Sudou-kun can be incredibly reliable at times, can't he?" Hirata said.
"Yeah..."
Sudou was definitely a reliable teammate when it came to physical activities. No matter how much of a burden Ike was, Sudou could force a good result through sheer strength. At the same time, he was also a dangerous double-edged sword if he lost control.
"All right, we're up next," Hirata said.
Next was Ayanokouji and Hirata's turn. Fortunately, there were no particularly strong opponents in their group. Since they worked well together, they finished in first place without much trouble.
"Whooo! Hirata-kun's so cool!"
However, it was painful to listen to all the girls cheer only for Hirata.
Next came the first-year girls' three-legged race. Horikita, who was slowly learning to compromise, and Kushida, who was always willing to compromise, were paired together for the second round.
"Will Horikita-san be all right...?" Hirata asked, sounding worried.
"Honestly, there's nothing we can do. With her personality, she wouldn't give up even if she had to crawl. For now, let's just cheer for them."
"...I guess you're right."
Horikita and Kushida barely spoke to each other. Their relationship was especially bad, but perhaps their desire to win would be enough to make it work. To Ayanokouji, they were a strange pair. He was probably the only one who understood their situation. Kumagawa likely knew as well, considering how close he was with Kushida. But to the rest of Class D, they probably looked like a reliable team.
They got off to a good start and took second place. Not bad. Cheers rose from the crowd.
"Go, Suzune!" Sudou got carried away and shouted her first name, which was still forbidden. Fortunately, his voice probably didn't reach her.
However, Horikita and Kushida soon began to slow down, and their ranking dropped. Before long, two girls from Class A took first place, while the Class B team, including Yajima, followed in second.
As expected, even though Horikita tried to brush off her injuries, they were starting to become a clear liability.
She pushed herself to keep up, but her body, especially her leg, couldn't endure it. The gap between first and second place continued to widen instead of shrinking. Meanwhile, the Class C pair remained in last place. Horikita and Kushida shifted slightly into the next lane, trying not to fall further behind. At the same time, it looked like they were attempting to block Class C.
Class C doggedly tried to slip past, but couldn't, since they were moving at the same speed as Horikita and Kushida. The audience cheered at this struggle for third place. However, by focusing too much on obstructing Class C, Horikita and Kushida left an opening. In that brief moment, Class C found their chance and overtook them.
"Awww, that's so disappointing!"
They had done what they could, but Horikita and Kushida finished last.
Once again, victory was far out of reach.
『』『』『』『』『』
After the three-legged event, the students were given a ten-minute break before the sports festival continued. Some went to the bathroom, while others got drinks. Horikita said she would head to the nearby medical tent to get some quick first aid. It was better than nothing. If she pushed herself too far, there was a chance she would be sent to the school infirmary instead, which would mean withdrawing from the sports festival.
Ayanokouji, however, didn't go anywhere. He stayed and observed the other classes, especially the first-year white team. It was possible to pick up various kinds of information just by watching from a distance. Class C was particularly interesting, just as he had expected.
The rivalry between Katsuragi and Sakayanagi was visible even from where he stood.
Even though there was no longer a clear schism within Class C due to Katsuragi's failed leadership, some form of rivalry between him and Sakayanagi still remained.
Sakayanagi's faction clearly held the majority. As for Katsuragi, it was hard to even call his side a faction anymore. Only one or two blind followers still stood with him. Even though his leadership had already ended, he hadn't joined Sakayanagi's side either. It felt like a schism that existed, yet didn't at the same time.
When Hirata returned after washing his hands, Ayanokouji decided to ask him something.
"What kind of student is Sakayanagi?"
"So, you're curious about her too, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"Yeah. I got interested when I heard she used to stand on equal footing with Katsuragi as a leader. And what Kumagawa said earlier... that's been bothering me a bit," Ayanokouji replied.
"I see..."
He couldn't really understand Sakayanagi's mindset or the way she did things. During this festival, she hadn't given a single order and remained completely silent. In fact, she had even delegated some authority to Katsuragi, someone who was practically her enemy, and let him lead the class.
Of course, just as Kumagawa had said earlier, there was a possibility she was planning something. Perhaps she intended to completely and throughly crush Katsuragi, forcing him to either join her faction or lose any chance of competing for leadership again.
"Well, she's very polite, good with people, and mature. I didn't think there was anything especially strange about her. Students from other classes probably feel the same, but it seems Class A disagrees. I've heard people say that Sakayanagi-san is aggressive and ruthless," Hirata said.
However, he couldn't take the words of her opponents at face value. They hadn't even spoken to her directly. Besides, it would be difficult for her to interfere much in the sports festival. Since her condition limited her physical ability, she likely wouldn't act openly.
"Honestly, Even I don't really know what kind of person Sakayanagi-san is. But I heard that Kumagawa and Kushida had direct contact with her some time ago."
"Kumagawa and Kushida?" Ayanokouji asked.
Hearing Kushida's name wasn't surprising. Her social circle was so wide that it practically covered the entire school. There was probably no one she didn't know in this entire school. But hearing Kumagawa's name in the same sentence was clearly unexpected.
"Yeah. I heard about it from Ichinose-san."
"Eh? What is this about me?"
Suddenly, Ichinose appeared from behind, holding a cold drink in her hand, and joined their conversation.
"Ah, Ichinose-san, You suprised me." Hirata said.
"Hehehe."
Ayanokouji looked at Ichinose, and a single thought crossed his mind.
Cute...
"So, what were you talking about when you mentioned my name?"
"Ah, I was just telling Ayanokouji-kun about when you saw Kumagawa and Kushida playing chess against Sakayanagi-san," Hirata answered.
"Aaah, that? I just happened to see it by coincidence back then. But what is this about Sakayanagi-san and Kumagawa-kun?" Ichinose asked. She sounded curious about the topic. However, unknown to Ayanokouji and Hirata, her curiosity was mainly because Kumagawa's name had come up.
"It's nothing serious; I was just curious about what kind of person Sakayanagi is, that's all," Ayanokouji said, "Ah, since you're here, Ichinose, I thought you might know. You're both class leaders, after all."
Since Ichinose were already here, Ayanokouji decided it's not a bad idea to ask what kind of person Sakayaangi is especially since both of them were class leader of their respective class. Besides, it's also can be a chance to have an insight with Ichinose thought about other people.
"What do I think of Sakayanagi-san?" Ichinose placed a finger on her chin, thinking for a moment. "We haven't really had the chance to talk one-on-one yet, but she's definitely impressive. It's unfortunate what happened to Katsuragi-kun, but the fact that their class once functioned with two leaders at the same time is remarkable. And now that Sakayanagi-san can practically be considered the true leader, I think she's going to be a formidable opponent."
It seemed that Katsuragi's situation had already become common knowledge.
If everything that happened to him was truly Sakayanagi's doing, then she was a dangerous person. Someone willing to go that far just to eliminate a rival, even if it meant her class falling to Class C is definitely fomidable and dangerous.
"But why with the sudden curiosity, Ayanokouji-kun? Did something happened?" Ichinose asked.
It was a reasonable question. Since there was no real reason to hide it, especially from an ally, Ayanokouji briefly explained his and Hirata's concerns.
"I see... so Kumagawa-kun said that..." Ichinose muttered. "To be honest, I think there might be some truth to it. If we're going to stay on guard, then it shouldn't just be Ryuen. Even Sakayanagi-san's class might be worth watching. She seems polite on the surface, but... like Kumagawa-kun said, there's a chance she has some kind of deal with Ryuen."
"..."
It was a solid assumption coming from Ichinose, but...
"Hmm? What's wrong, Ayanokouji-kun? Did I say something strange?" she asked.
"It's not that, I just didn't expect you to become suspicious of Sakayanagi so quickly." Ayanokouji replied.
"H-huh? Is it strange for me to be suspicious of Sakayanagi-san...?"
"Ah, sorry. That came out wrong. I just thought you'd be more doubtful about the idea of Sakayanagi working with Ryuen. So your reaction caught me off guard."
Considering her personality, Ayanokouji had expected Ichinose to hesitate more. From the outside, she often seemed a bit too trusting.
"I see... so that's how naive you think I am, Ayanokouji-kun..."
"...Could you please not put that heavy of an emotional burden on me?"
Ayanokouji only felt more guilty now. For all her good qualities, she was a little too straightforward. He even felt like he would never be able to make up for making someone like her look that sad.
"No, it's fine. With my personality, people probably already see me as naive or idealistic," Ichinose said. "Kumagawa-kun told me that pretty bluntly before, so you don't have to feel guilty about it."
"..."
Geez, what a predicament.
Ayanokouji knew she meant what she said. She was that kind of person, kind both on the outside and inside. But hearing her tell him not to feel guilty only made him feel worse.
What a weighty words.
His shoulder are gonna get dislodged.
"Anyway, back to the topic. From what we've seen, Ryuen-kun seems to be targeting Class D in particular, right? So instead of worrying too much about Class C, I think Class B is what you should focus on right now," Ichinose said.
"I guess that's true..." Hirata muttered. "But what about Class C? We can't just focus on Class B. If both classes really end up working together, we'll be in a lot of trouble. Especially if Class C makes a move while Class B is already attacking us."
While it might sound a little strange to say that Class C and Class B could work together, especially since they were on the same white team, it wasn't entirely wrong. Even if they were allies on the surface, at heart, they were still enemies who could sabotage each other. That was even more true with someone like Ryuen as an ally.
Even so, putting that aside, Hirata's concern was quite valid.
Strictly speaking, Sakayanagi's class had even more reason to target Class D than Ryuen's, especially if they didn't want to drop further in the rankings. They needed to widen the gap as much as possible by targeting Class D in particular. Of course, it wouldn't happen in the short term, since gaining class points wasn't easy.
But thanks to a certain someone, who managed to single-handedly bring down an entire class in the rankings, each class, especially Class C, would now be even more eager to widen the gap in case something disastrous happened again.
"Ah, if that's what you're worried about, my class can keep an eye on Class C, if that would ease your concerns." Ichinose suggested.
"Really? Thank you, Ichinose-san."
"It's nothing, Hirata-kun. Even if we're technically opponents, we're still on the same team right now. There's no need to thank me for that."
As expected, Ichinose was kind.
Not just her appearance, but her personality as well. She really was the kind of person anyone would want as a life partner.
"In return... while you're at it, could you also keep an eye on Ryuen's class for us? If they make a move against Class A, I'd like to know."
In the end, even if this was expected teamwork between the two classes, it felt like Class D was the one taking on the heavier role, especially by keeping watch over Class B. Even so, it was still a big advantage for Class D, considering the risk of being targeted by two classes at once.
Ichinose then turned to Ayanokouji with a slightly smug expression. It was more cute than annoying. Honestly, no matter what kind of expression she made, it was hard to see it as anything but pleasant.
"...What is it?" Ayanokouji asked.
"I'm a changed person now, Ayanokouji-kun."
"That's good to hear."
"Hehehe."
"..."
Ayanokouji then turned his gaze toward their camp. A group of male students had gathered around Ryuen, almost like he was a king holding court.
Right now, his strategy felt different from the others. Even in a sports festival, he was trying to inflict psychological pressure and he wanted to leave a lasting impact. Sudou, in particular, had already been affected by his actions.
Just like what Ichinose had said, Ayanokouji was certain that Ryuen still had more tricks prepared.
『』『』『』『』『』
After the short break, the events resumed in reverse order. It was time for the first-year girls' cavalry battle. The participants began gathering at the center of the field. This would be yet another clash between the Class D/A coalition and the Class B/C coalition.
The cavalry battle was time-limited, and the rules were the same for both boys and girls. Points were awarded based on how many enemy units were defeated within three minutes, as well as how many allied units remained.
Each class fielded four horsemen, making it an eight-versus-eight battle.
Each horseman was worth fifty points. One rider from each class was designated as the "general," worth one hundred points. Even if an opponent remained standing, points could still be earned by taking their headband. If a class had a particularly strong fighter, it was possible to earn four to five hundred points in one go.
Horikita had been chosen as the general for Class D while on the other side, Mori, Kushida, and Karuizawa also took the roles of generals.
Once the signal went off, the Class B and C horsemen quietly began to close the distance to Classes A and D. Unsurprisingly, Ibuki was out for blood. Acting as a rider, she gave an order and moved straight toward Horikita.
However, Ibuki wasn't the only one.
"As expected..." Hirata muttered.
Class B didn't even try to engage Class A. They ignored everyone else and focused entirely on Horikita. All four horsemen targeted her at once. Class A, led by Ichinose, tried to move in to assist, but Class C blocked their path, preventing them from helping.
"Even Ichinose and the others can't do anything."
"They're just going after Horikita, aren't they?!" Ike shouted.
"Damn it. Ryuen probably ordered this. What a scumbag," Sudou growl.
"There's nothing we can do. Everyone knows Horikita is Class D's strongest player in this event."
Ryuuen's tactics weren't bad. Whether in war or competition, the best bet was taking out the opposing side's leader. Whether in war or competition, taking down the leader was the simplest path to victory. Combined with the pressure from Sakayanagi's class, Class A was held in place, leaving Horikita completely exposed.
Karuizawa and her group were the first to rush in to help. Shinohara followed right behind to support her. However, one of Class B's generals, Manabe, stepped in to block their path. The situation quickly turned into a direct clash. Karuizawa versus Manabe.
"This is bad..." Ayanokouji muttered.
While Ayanokouji didn't consider Karuizawa weak, this matchup was clearly unfavorable, especially given their past.
Even if others didn't notice, Karuizawa's expression was starting to falter in front of Manabe. The confident front she usually maintained as one of the key riders began to crumble. At this point, she might be even more immobilized than Horikita or Ichinose.
At this point, Ayanokouji was even more certain of his hypothesis.
Soon after, a loud cheer erupted as a horseman's headband was snatched away.
It was, of course, Horikita's.
Four horsemen had attacked her at once. Unable to withstand the relentless assault, she was defeated. She fell off her unit, collapsed onto the ground, and tried to stand back up, her expression filled with frustration.
Even so, she had nothing to be ashamed of. In a situation like that, even someone like Sudou wouldn't have been able to win. Facing four opponents at once without any support, her effort was more than commendable.
In any case, that was the end of it. Horikita's defeat triggered an all-out clash. Class D, now down one horseman and being pressured by Class B, quickly lost all coordination. Some were knocked off their horses, while others had their headbands taken.
Karuizawa, who had been stuck in a one-sided fight against Manabe, suddenly found herself facing an four-to-one situation. At that point, it should have been hopeless. However, at the very end, she managed to snatch a headband from a Class B horseman through sheer desperation.
Because of that, their exchange ended in a mutual loss.
Even though the opposing side had lost two horsemen, thanks to Ichinose's efforts and Karuizawa's desperate move, it didn't change the outcome. After that, Classes B and C turned their focus to the remaining Class A units and wiped them out completely.
Horikita returned to the camp, grinding her teeth in frustration.
Class A/D coalition had suffered another great loss.
Seeing her frustrated expression, Sudou called out to her right away.
"Hey, don't worry about it. That was hopeless. Besides, it's their fault for being too slow," Sudou said.
"That doesn't change the fact that I lost. Their momentum completely overwhelmed me," Horikita replied.
Class B had been targeting Horikita from the start. Under those circumstances, no one could have held out for long.
"Leave it to me. I'll get them back for you," Sudou said, trying to sound cool.
Normally, words like that wouldn't have reached the likes of Horikita. However, in her current condition, along with everything that had happened, his words seemed to reach and resonate with her this time.
"I'd expect no less from you," she replied shortly.
For Sudou, who had a clear crush on her, that was more than enough.
"All right! Let's go, you guys!" Sudou shouted.
He looked even more fired up than before, his frustration toward Ryuen now turning into motivation.
The boys' cavalry battle began. Ayanokouji took position as the right support. Sudou stood at the center, where he would likely face the most direct clashes, and Miyake took the left. Hirata was their jockey. With that, their class's strongest unit was formed, a warrior without peer, capable of achieving victory even if their allied horsemen were defeated.
"Hey, Hirata. Just focus on protecting the headband. Don't let it get taken, and don't fall. Got it?" Sudou said.
"So, we're going with that plan?" Hirata asked.
"Yeah. After what happened in capture the flag, we can't hold back this time. We're not losing again," Sudou replied.
Ayanokouji couldn't see Sudou's expression, but he could imagine him smiling.
"I have an idea, if you're okay with it. After watching the girls' match, I thought of a way to win. I already told Kanzaki-kun. At this rate, we can't afford to keep losing." Said Hirata.
As soon as the signal was given, Hirata gave the order. Class D's horsemen moved together with Class A's, forming one large group. The two classes became indistinguishable from each other. After seeing what happened in the girls' match, Hirata judged that facing Ryuen's divide-and-conquer strategy head-on would be too risky. Instead, they chose to move as a single unit and push through with force.
Of course, this meant sacrificing some of their mobility, which was a key factor in a cavalry battle. However, considering their opponent was Ryuen, this was likely the best method Hirata could come up with in such a short amount of time.
Class B's general, Ryuen, let out a fearless laugh. He had no intention of cooperating with class C, instead crudely ordering others to fall in line.Bottom of Form
Following Hirata and Kanzaki's orders, eight horsemen from the Class D/A coalition charged at the enemy.
"Aim for that bastard Ryuen's head! Raaah! Send him flying!"
In an instant, Hirata's unit surged forward, with Sudou leading at full speed. A horseman from Class B tried to block their path.
However, Sudou slammed into them head-on, knocking them off balance.
"Get out of my way!" he roared.
"Uwahh!"
The enemy, unable to match Sudou's strength, collapsed along with their jockey.
Like a wild beast, Sudou looked down at the fallen opponent before turning toward his next target. Normally, that kind of contact would be considered foul play. However, the school had made it clear that the battle rules for this event were slightly different. Their aggressive opening shook the opposing team, forcing them to hesitate.
It was a strategy that relied heavily on raw strength and momentum. Without that, it wouldn't have worked. Of course, it had its drawbacks. Knocking down a jockey counted as a self KO, not a successful headband capture, meaning those fifty points would be lost. Still, focusing only on stealing headbands carried its own risks.
"Sudou-kun, let's defeat the opponents around us first and leave Ryuen-kun for last."
"Huh? C'mon, don't be boring, Hirata. Let's aim right for the general's head!" Said Sudou
"I understand what you're trying to do, nut the defense around Ryuen is tight. If we rush in, we'll just fall into his trap. Let's stay focused and win this properly."
"Tch!"
Two horsemen from Class B charged toward them. Despite his frustration toward Ryuen, Sudou followed Hirata's lead. Ayanokouji couldn't help but admire Hirata's ability to keep him under control.
"All right, all right. Let's crush these guys first!"
Sudou defeated three enemy horsemen with ease. Keeping the momentum, Kanzaki and the other Class A students managed to take down Hashimoto and Katsuragi's units. However, they also lost three members, including Shibata, which was a significant loss.
"Yeah! It's three against one now, right? We've got this!"
As they surrounded Ryuen, Hirata and Kanzaki exchanged a glance.
The remaining horsemen kept their distance, but all focused on Ryuen. After seeing him take a headband earlier, they understood just how strong his unit was. Even so, they had the numbers advantage.
However, Ryuen showed no signs of panic. If anything, he looked like he was enjoying himself. He didn't appear cornered or pressured at all.
"Oh, I remember you. Sudou, right? When I stepped on you before, you looked like you were in quite a bit of pain." Ryuen sneered.
"Yeah, keep talking. I'll return the favor soon enough."
"You talk big for someone who's just carrying others on his back. I have to admit, it feels good looking down on you," Ryuen said with a smirk.
"Heh. Just because you're the one riding doesn't make you special."
"Oh? Then I suppose this is meaningless unless we settle it one-on-one? Though, I can't say I expected anything different from someone no better than a rabid dog," Ryuen mocked.
"Huh? What the hell did you just say, you bastard?!"
"Sudou-kun, don't listen-" Hirata tried to intervene, but he was a step too late.
"You've been knocking people down with nothing but brute force. Tell me, how are you any different from the stray dogs on the street? I'll admit your strength is impressive. But there's no way you can beat my subordinates head-on, and honestly, I don't expect much from someone who only has muscle but no brain. In this school, strength without brains just makes you a loser. Without someone to hold your leash and tell you where to bark, you're basically just a good-for-nothing. Though... I have to admit, the look on your face when I stepped on you before was quite something. Maybe you do have a talent after all. In that case, I should apologize for calling you useless."
One insult followed another, without pause.
Even from the side, Ayanokouji could see Sudou's face physically turning red with anger.
But surprisingly, against all odds, Sudou managed to hold himself back.
Perhaps it had something to do with Horikita's earlier expression after her defeat, or the small expectation she had placed on him. Somehow, that was enough for him to keep himself in check.
Unfortunately, even that didn't stop Ryuen's relentless mockery.
"Oh? I thought you'd come at me right away like a rabid dog, as usual. But it seems you've evolved From a wild rabid dog to a well-trained pet. Go on, come at me. Or are you going to lose to my Albert instead?"
Ryuen gestured them to attack, provoking them openly. Up until now, he had faced favorable matchups and had secured first place in every event. When it came to physical ability, he was far from weak. As he spoke, he carefully watched their movements, casually evading Hirata's reaching hand without breaking his composure.
As Ayanokouji supported Hirata, he watched the battle with Ryuen as best as he could. From what he could see, they were alomost evenly matched. However, Ryuen only attacked with his words and not wasting any effort on physical attack.
"Not yet, Hirata?" Sudou sounded pained, since he was the only one on the receiving end of most of the enemy's attacks.
"Just a little more!" Hirata extended his arm, feinting, before launching an attack. As Ryuuen tried to sway and dodge, Hirata grabbed hold of his headband, but only managed to snag the edge.
Hirata tried his hardest to pull the headband off. He couldn't snatch it away, and the headband slipped out of his hand.
"Huh?"
"What are you doin', Hirata?! Take it! I'm usin' up an awful lot of strength here!"
Sudou, breathing heavily, launched another attack while also being attacked. By far, he was the one who take most of the damages. Ryuen waited fearlessly. Meanwhile Hirata, who had only been on the offensive so far, was also breathing heavily.
"What's wrong? That all you got?"
"Ugh! Sorry, Sudou-kun! Fall back for now!" said Hirata.
They put some distance between Ryuuen and themsevels. We were exhausted compared to Ryuen, who had barely even moved. He was probably conserving his strength to fight Kanzaki after he defeated us. Sudou, his breathing ragged, repositioned himself.
"Make the next try the last, Hirata... Make sure you snatch it!" said Sudou.
"Got it. I'll try my best!" Hirata took a deep breath and focused.
"Eat this!" shouted Sudou.
Sudou summoned the last of his strength and slammed into the enemy, but they still didn't fall down. Once again, a fight between the jockeys ensued. Hirata then used this chance to attack Ryuen. Hirata's aim was straight and true. Again, he successfully grabbed hold of Ryuen's headband. However, once again, the headband slipped.
"What?!"
Ryuen took advantage of Hirata's bewilderment. He reached out to grab Hirata's headband, gripped it tightly, and effortlessly snatched it from Hirata's head. Sudou sensed that they had lost and dropped to his knees, causing Hirata to fall.
Ryuen raised Hirata's headband up high. Soon afterward, a referee came over and warned them to leave the field.
"Damn it!" Sudou, looking wild and unruly, glared at Ryuen. If Sudou didn't start moving, Ayanokojji didn't know what kind of warning they'd receive next, so he pushed him, directing him to leave the field.
"How pathetic," Ryuuen sneered.
In the end, the same thing happened to Kanzaki and the others. The result turned out much like what had happened with Sudou.
As the signal marking the end of the match rang out, Ryuen casually removed his own headband and swung it around, openly enjoying his victory.
"Sorry, Sudou-kun. His headband was strangely slippery. I couldn't get a proper grip on it," Said Hirata. "At first, I thought it was sweat, but something felt off."
He showed his hands. When Ayanokouji touched his fingertips, he noticed a clear, slightly sticky substance on them.
"That's not sweat," Ayanokouji said.
Sudou touched it as well. "Wait... that means... That bastard!" He immediately rushed toward Ryuen. "That's foul play! You put something on your headband!"
"I don't know what you're talking about. If there's anything on it, it's probably just hair gel. Don't be a sore loser," Ryuen replied calmly.
He didn't look the least bit shaken.
He had likely already wiped it off while showing off his victory, or perhaps on the ground. Either way, his headband only looked slightly dirty now. The evidence had already disappeared.
"Sudou-kun, let's not make a scene. We should head back to the tent," Hirata said.
The referee was already watching them closely. There was no way to prove Ryuen had done anything. Even if he had used something, it was probably hair gel. Anything more obvious would have been too risky. Ryuen wasn't careless.
On their way back, Sudou still hadn't calmed down. Ayanokouji kept some distance, both to give him space and to avoid becoming the target of his frustration.
At that moment, Karuizawa called out to him.
"Isn't this bad, Kiyotaka?"
"What is? And... why are you calling me by my first name?" he asked.
"Why not? I call Yousuke-kun by his first name, so I thought I'd try yours too," she replied casually.
Then why had she dropped the honorific in my case? Is what he wanted to say .Was she implying that he was lower than Hirata? he probably didn't need to give it too much thought, so he decided not to think too deeply about it.
"Anyway, I wanted to talk about Horikita-san. She's been struggling for a while now, hasn't she? Even during the cavalry battle, she looked really bad. I tried to help, but it was a complete mess," Karuizawa said.
"Yeah."
Horikita's condition was clearly worsening. Not just in team events, but across all competitions, her rankings had dropped. The cause was obvious; Her injury from the obstacle course. Normally, they would have suggested she withdraw. But doing so would result in penalties for Class D.
"I don't think it's entirely her fault, though. Her opponents were just too strong," Karuizawa added.
"She's being targeted," Ayanokouji said.
"Targeted? You mean it's not just bad luck that she keeps facing strong opponents?"
"That's the only explanation. You know how capable she is physically."
Horikita wasn't weak, on the contrary, it was quite the opposite. It was just that her opponents were consistently stronger. Repeated poor placements made her stand out, drawing more attention from both allies and enemies. Eventually, she became a clear target, as seen in the cavalry battle.
There was only one person who would orchestrate something like that. The one acting like a king in the enemy camp, Ryuen Kakeru.
"He's definitely doing this on purpose."
"Someone's targeting Horikita? But why?" Karuizawa asked.
"It's not just her. They seem to know our lineup for every event. Our team compositions too. Somehow, they've been matching weaker students against our strongest ones, and the opposite. I couldn't be sure at first, but after seeing you matched up against Manabe... I'm certain now. We're being played."
By "they," Ayanokouji meant Class B.
"So our information got leaked? Someone shared our participation table?"
"Yes. Someone handed it over to Ryuen," Ayanokouji replied.
"But... wait, how did you figure that out? Honestly, I wouldn't even be surprised if you suddenly said there's a traitor in our class or something... I mean, that's not what you're saying, right...?"
"..."
"...Wait. Seriously? There really is a traitor in our class?"
Ayanokouji gave a small nod.
That alone was enough for Karuizawa to understand how serious the situation was.
For now, the question of 'who' it was didn't really matter. What mattered was the fact that their information had been leaked. Ryuen knew everything. From the order of their events, led by Hirata, to their strategies.
With that knowledge in mind, he probably had prepared two clear countermeasures.
First, he deliberately matched his weaker students against Class D's stronger ones, like Sudou and Hirata, minimizing losses. At the same time, he placed his strongest students against weaker opponents like Ike and Yamauchi, securing easy victories. Even if Class D tried to balance their lineup, Ryuen could simply wait and turn the tide over time.
Second, he focused his attacks on Horikita.
This didn't directly contribute to winning points. It was something else entirely. He wanted to crush her, personally. And in truth, he had succeeded. Horikita had lost her standing completely. If there were rankings within Class D alone, she would be near the bottom.
These actions revealed a lot about Ryuen Kakeru. He could have hidden his strategy to avoid being read. But he didn't.
He wanted them to notice.
He wanted to provoke them.
"So, you're not going to help her?" Karuizawa asked.
"How would I do that?"
"Well... I don't know. Something?"
"The participation table is already set. There's nothing I can change now."
"So you're saying Class D is going to lose?"
"Most likely."
"Isn't there anything we can do?"
"You should ask Hirata about that."
"That's... well, I guess you're right. But... I thought if I asked you, you'd come up with something."
The sports festival was playing out right in the open. Unlike the island exam, there was little room for tricks or hidden moves. Trying to deceive the entire school would be extremely difficult. In the end, their only options were to compete fairly or resort to underhanded methods.
Ryuen had clearly prepared for this in advance. Everything had been carefully planned and practiced. Most of the outcomes had likely been decided before the festival even began.
"Class D is in last place right now, right? Is there really no way to win?" Karuizawa asked.
"Don't worry. Everything so far is going according to plan."
"I knew it. So you did think of something. Then how are we going to win?"
"Win? I have no intention of winning. What matters right now is doing nothing."
"Huh?" Karuizawa froze, her mouth slightly open.
"Just focus on doing what you can in the festival. That alone will help us later."
"Wait, what do you-"
Just as Ayanokouji was trying to think of a way to avoid her persistent questioning, they heard a loud, furious roar nearby.
"I'm seriously going to beat the crap out of that bastard!"
Sudou, brimming with anger like a wild dog, stormed toward Class B. Ryuen's provocations, from stepping on him and insulting him to targeting Horikita, had finally pushed his reasoning over the edge.
Fortunately, Hirata stepped in front of him. "I understand how you feel, Sudou-kun. But you need to calm down. You know what'll happen if you use violence against Ryuen-kun."
"Shut up!" Sudou shoved him aside. "I'm the leader here! So listen, Hirata. Let's go deal with Ryuen together."
"I know you're the leader. If we're talking about the sports festival, you're the leader without a doubt. But look around you. What do you think everyone expects from their leader?" asked Hirata.
Sudou glanced around. Ike and the others shrank back in fear. Most of the class had already distanced themselves from him, unwilling to become targets of his anger. Even Horikita watched him with clear exasperation.
"But I'm doing this for the class..." He managed to squeeze out those few words despite his anger.
However, students around Hirata raised their voices in response.
"Is that really the case?" Yukimura cut in sharply. "To me, it just looks like you're trying to show off. You're letting your emotions control you without thinking about the rest of us. If you alone were enough to win the sports festival, we wouldn't be struggling like this. If you want to act like a leader, then act like one and think about the whole class, instead of being selfish."
"Shut up."
"I agree with him, Sudou-kun. It's because we rely on you that we need you to stay calm and see the bigger picture." Hirata added.
"Shut up!"
"You can do that, Sudou-kun. That's why-"
『Hirata-kun~ What's going on-? Huh?』
"I'm telling you to shut up already!"
SMACK!
A sharp sound echoed.
Everyone saw that instead of Hirata, it was Kumagawa who took the hit directly to his face. The impact sent him toppling to the ground.
『H-huh? What just happened?』
Sudou, with his bloodshot eyes didn't seem to realize what he had just done. To be honest, not everyone fully understood what had happened either. Kumagawa had suddenly stepped in between Hirata and Sudou without anyone noticing, and for some reason, he ended up taking the hit instead.
"What's going on here?"
Their supervisor, Chabashira-sensei, approached. When she saw Sudou's enraged expression and the red mark on Kumagawa's face, it wasn't hard to guess what had happened.
"What did you do this time, Kumagawa?" she asked, looking at him as if it had been his fault from the very beginning.
『No, no, isn't that a bit strange? Shouldn't you be questioning Sudou-kun instead of me? 』
"I just assumed you must have done something wrong to end up like that."
Without even addressing Sudou first, Chabashira immediately placed the blame on Kumagawa. It seemed her expectations of him had already fallen beyond hopeless.
『Could you not finger a culprit based on nothing, Chabashira-chan sensei? We have to at least review the procedure first and look at the evidence second, right? 』
"...?"
It took her a moment to process what he said, and even then, she didn't seem to fully understand it. Perhaps even Kumagawa himself wasn't entirely sure what he meant.
"Fine..." she said, turning her gaze toward Sudou. "Did you hit him?"
At last, things were starting to move in the right direction.
Despite the weird banter between Kumagawa and Chabasira, right now everyone's is looking at Sudou with concern. His expression still resembled that of a wild dog without a leash.
Honestly, Chabashira seemed to hold some kind of personal vendetta against Kumagawa. But in a situation like this, it was obvious who the culprit was and who the victim was.
"So what if I did? What then?" Sudou replied, not even trying to deny it.
"Is that so...?" Chabashira narrowed her eyes.
"No, sensei. Kumagawa just fell down, that's all," Ayanokouji said calmly, stepping in to cover for him.
"It hardly looks that way."
"No, it's true. He just fell earlier. Right, Hirata?" Ayanokouji added, pulling Hirata into it.
"...Yes... Kumagawa-kun just fell down," Hirata said after a brief pause.
Although it weighed on Hirata's conscience, he was wise enough to understand that losing Sudou here was not an option. Despite all his flaws, it was Sudou who had been carrying them throughout the sports festival. If they lost him now, their defeat would be all but guaranteed.
"You can say whatever you want, but in the end, it's up to the victim to decide whether he simply fell or not. I'm not naive enough to think nothing happened here. If that 'thing' says there's no issue, then I'll leave it at that. Of course, I'll still have to file a report later as a precaution. But if he says otherwise... then I'll have no choice but to disqualify Sudou for using violence."
At those words, everyone's gaze turn toward the "thing" she referred to.
Kumagawa was sitting cross-legged on the ground, while Kushida, before anyone even realized it, had already leaned in close and was whispering something into his ear.
『Really? You'd go that far for me? 』
"If it's just that much, I don't mind," she replied softly.
『But what about your boobs? 』
"Don't push your luck, you piece of trash. I've already compromised enough just by agreeing to this."
『Ahaha, don't get mad at me. 』
The others couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was obvious enough. Kushida was trying to persuade him to cover for Sudou. After a moment, Kumagawa slowly rose to his feet. He brushed off his uniform and looked toward Chabashira, who was already watching him.
"So? Did Sudou hit you or not?" she asked.
『No, Sudou-kun didn't hit me at all. Like Ayanokouji-kun and Hirata-kun said, I just fell down. 』
"...I see."
She let out a small breath.
"In any case, I'll be filing a report about this. For now, keep your distance from each other. I don't want to see another incident like this. Understood?"
With that, Chabashira left, accepting the lie at face value.
The tension, however, didn't disappear.
Sudou, still unable to contain his anger, kicked a nearby chair and sent it flying.
"Do whatever you want. Go ahead and lose for all I care, you scum. This whole sports festival can go to hell," he spat.
For just a moment, his eyes flickered toward Horikita who was watching him.
Then he quickly looked away and started walking back toward the dormitory.
『』『』『』『』『』
While Class D dealt with its own problems, the second and third-year students' cavalry battle continued as if nothing had happened.
Horikita kept her eyes fixed on her brother, someone she couldn't bring herself to approach.
Sudou never returned to camp, even after the cavalry battles ended and the final event, the 200-meter dash, began.
The show went on regardless of who was missing. Absentees were simply disqualified and earned no points. The rules were clear.
"This is really bad..." Karuizawa said.
"Yeah. No doubt."
"Although Sudou-kun was being a bit of a jerk, it's a relief he didn't get disqualified earlier."
Whatever Kushida had whispered to Kumagawa earlier, it seemed she had managed to convince him somehow. And in return, Kumagawa had clearly gotten something out of that "whisper."
"But how did you know Kushida-san could convince Kumagawa-kun?" she asked.
"Hmm?"
"Earlier, you told me to have Kushida talk to Kumagawa-kun. I know they're childhood friends, but I didn't expect him to agree that easily. Especially since he's not exactly cooperative."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I just thought that since they're childhood friends, Kushida would have a better chance of convincing him than anyone else," Ayanokouji replied.
"Reallyyy? You're not just saying that to avoid answering me, right?"
"Why would I lie?"
Honestly, what he said wasn't a lie.
Kumagawa was simply too unpredictable for Ayanokouji to control. His priorities were completely different from normal people. At this point, it was hard to even define what a "right" move was when dealing with him. That was why Ayanokouji left it to Kushida as his only 'safe' option.
For Kushida, who valued her image above everything else, Ayanokouji made sure to involve Karuizawa and use that to push her into acting. There was no way she would refuse to help a classmate in a situation like this.
As for the result, even Ayanokouji hadn't been sure it would work.
But in the end, it did.
Ayanokouji then looked at the time.
"There's a little over an hour left until Sudou's turn, huh?"
The 200-meter dash continued for the second- and third-year students, followed by a fifty-minute break. If Sudou didn't return before the break ended, it'd be checkmate. With their ace in the hole gone, they'd never going win.
Only one person in our class could get to him.
He wondered if 'she' know how vital her role was.
For now, Ayanokouji decided to finish his own race, which fortunately didn't end too badly. He managed to secure third place in the 200-meter dash. His opponents weren't particularly athletic compared to the others, but even so, he only managed to get third place.
After that, he waited for her race. It ended just as badly as expected. Once it was over, he approached her.
"Horikita," Ayanokouji called.
"What is it?"
Her tone made it clear she was in a really bad mood.
"Do you know what happened with Sudou?"
"His leadership was questioned. He realized what a disappointment he was, and ran off."
"Well... yeah, I guess that's true."
"So, why are you here? You're not going to ask me to bring Sudou-kun back, are you?"
"If you already know, then don't ask. You understand you're the only one who can help, right?" he said.
"I don't think so. There are other people who can handle that. There's no way I can," she replied. "Besides, I'm not in a position to worry about others right now."
She was indeed suffering. Not only had she performed poorly in every event, but she had also dragged down the class's overall score. She had more than enough on her plate.
Ayanokouji understood that. And to be honest, no one else wanted to go after Sudou either. After the way he acted, the class had already distanced themselves from him. Even if they knew he was valuable, their trust had faded.
If it were Hirata or Kushida, the whole class would have gone after them. In that sense, Sudou wasn't much different from Kouenji. In fact, aside from Horikita and Sudou, most of the class had already stopped paying attention to Kouenji and Kumagawa altogether.
"Here's how I see it," Ayanokouji said. "You can't support your classmates, and you can't even manage yourself. Then what are you good for? Right now, you're just a burden."
"That's a terrible thing to say. I'm sorry I got injured, but that was just bad luck. There are things you can't control, right?"
"Bad luck?" he repeated. "So that's all this is to you? You really haven't realized anything."
"Don't mock me. I understand the situation. There's a traitor in our class. Someone leaked our participation table to Ryuen-kun. I never thought someone would go that far, but it's obvious now. He kept provoking Sudou too, trying to push him into acting out so he'd get disqualified. And because of that, the class morale dropped."
She had seen through most of it. The structure of Ryuen's plan, the intent behind it. But that alone wasn't enough.
"Have you noticed anything else?"
"Wait... you're not saying we should go further than that?" Horikita frowned. "Do I think Ryuen set a trap for me? Yes. He probably had Kinoshita-san trip me. But causing an injury on purpose under this level of supervision isn't easy. I doubt they'd risk going that far just to take me out completely. And besides-"
If Ayanokouji had wanted to, he could have offered her evidence that the injury was certainly intentional. But that wasn't really important.
"...How long do you plan to stay useless?"
"Huh...?"
"I said, how long are you going to stay useless, Horikita?"
Unless he took a drastic measure here, Horikita would never wake up.
"...On what basis are you calling me useless?"
"I'm calling you useless because you are."
"How dare you? I'm a capable student. I'm confident I can beat anyone here. So why call me useless?"
『No, Ayanokouji-kun is right. 』
From the opposite side, a voice cut in.
A variable named Kumagawa slowly approached them.
『No matter how you look at it, the current you aren't useful at all, Horikita-chan. More than Kouenji-kun, more than Sudou-kun...and even more than me. 』
"You..."
Horikita clenched her teeth in frustration.
Being told that by Ayanokouji was one thing.
But hearing it from Kumagawa only made it worse.
"You've said all kinds of things, but you haven't achieved anything in this sports festival either, Kumagawa-kun. So I don't see what right you have to call me useless."
『Hahaha, maybe you're right. But I can't be thoughtless here, can I? Without an adequate amount of thinking, and adequate understanding- 』
"Is that how you see it?" Horikita cut him off sharply.
"From my point of view, the only truly useless thing here is your twisted sense of reasoning. Yes, with my condition, I know I'm a burden in this competition. I can admit that much. But that's not the point, is it? Sudou-kun chose to act as the leader because he believed in his strength. He thought he could lead the class to victory with that strength alone. But that didn't happen, did it? So what right do you have to call me useless?" She shouted.
By now, several students from Class D had started to gather, drawn by the tension.
"It's not like Sudou-kun is the only one who worked hard. So on what grounds do you call me useless? Everyone worked hard. So why am I the only one being called useless? Even with my injuries, I didn't run away. So what exactly makes me useless?"
Kumagawa looked at her with a vague smile.
A bottomless kind of smile.
Even Ayanokouji found himself with little to say at this point. He couldn't outright deny her words.
To be honest, it wasn't that Horikita was useless. The problem was that she couldn't see the bigger picture, and that had led them here. Ayanokouji had intended to use this moment to break her down completely, so she could rebuild herself from there.
But that plan had been throughly dismantled by Kumagawa.
Right now, there was no clear justification to call her useless after everything she had done, even in her injured state.
So Ayanokouji decided to remain silent, watching the exchange between the two.
And waiting to see how it would end.
『Then... what about Sudou-kun? 』
"What about him?" She narrowed her eyes.
『Don't you have anything to say to him? After all, he's the reason that this class managed to get this far in the competition. 』
"I have nothing to say to someone so utterly irresponsible. If he ever wants to be more than a failure, he needs to fix his distorted way of thinking immediately. Until he acknowledges his flaws and resolves to correct them, his leadership is nothing but a hollow farce. I won't ever acknowledge or offer praise to a person who refuses to grow out of his own incompetence."
『... 』
Kumagawa looked at her with unreadable expression.
『Horikita-chan, you don't seem to understand how heartless it is to tell foolish people it's not okay to be foolish-how cruel it is to tell flawed people it's not okay to be flawed. 』
"What are you saying?" Horikita shot back immediately. "Humans are defined by their ability to grow. Sudou-kun's temper isn't just his problem, it drags the entire class down. Even if he has talent, he'll never change unless he fixes that flaw. And when he reaches his limit, what will he have left? Nothing but that same foolishness."
People who only work hard break down when they can't work hard anymore, Horikita statement was just that. While Horikita's life philosophy was to come out and say anything and everything, she wasn't so insensitive to say it outright.
But that only applied under normal circumstances.
Right now, both her body and mind had been worn down. She was already at the point where she could stop caring at any moment.
『You say that, but you don't even try to understand why treating defects like viruses is pure malice. You can't accept everything. If you did, no one would bother trying anymore. They'd lose the will to improve-but you aren't the least bit wary of foolishness or crappyness. You always force your own sense of correctness onto the situation, convinced it's the only right answer. 』
"T-that's-"
『You act superior to others not because it's hard, but because you think it's natural for someone like you, someone who sees themselves as above the rest. What could be more frightening than that? I'm impressed that you've managed to live your life on such a razor's edge and still be in sound health. I'll give you that. But you know, Horikita-chan... people usually live in one of two ways. Either they live aware of their own worthlessness or they live aware of the world's worthlessness. But you're doing neither. You try to find value in a world you've already rejected, and you also try to "fix" people you don't even see as equals. You don't even know how to live properly. 』
"....."
『So, in conclusion, you're not a good person, you're not a good friend, you're not a good leader, you're not even a decent acquintances, you're just dull when it comes to life. That just makes you... a failure as a human being. 』
"T-that's... I don't..."
『So, Horikita-chan, which should take pre-』
"That's enough, Kumagawa."
Ayanokouji cut him off there.
Honestly, he wanted to hear more. But if Kumagawa continued, this wouldn't just shake Horikita. It would break her completely.
『...What's wrong, Ayanokouji-kun? 』
"...."
Seeing his face that had an expression resembling a smile, Ayanokouji felt nothing but emptiness. It was a complete and utter smile, with not even the slightest hint of emotion behind it, a smile that could quietly suck you in.
"...Even if it looks like you were trying to give her advice, you went a little too far."
『Advice? It probably isn't, 』he said. 『Hmm... but it's true, I seem to have gotten a little more excited than usual. I see... I guess this is why Anshin'in-san told me not to give advice to people so carelessly. 』
'Anshin'in-san?'
It was the first time Ayanokouji had heard that name, yet for some reason, it felt oddly familiar.
『Anyway, you can treat my words as just a suggestion... or maybe a screening process. Something like a hint you're free to discard. 』
How ambiguous....
『Also, judging by the looks of it, Horikita-chan doesn't seem to like my presence here. So, I think I'll leave before I end up with another mark on my face. 』
Yeah, at this point, it was probably best for Kumagawa to leave.
Even if Horikita wasn't in the right state of mind after his blunt words, there was a chance she might act on instinct rather than reason and punch him. If he got injured again, you could probably count them all on two hands.
Honestly, how could someone get hurt that much in such a short amount of time?
『I'll leave the rest to you, Ayanokouji-kun. 』
"..."
And just like that, Kumagawa, who appeared whenever he liked, disappeared just as he pleased.
It seemed he had realized what Ayanokouji was trying to achieve with Horikita just from that exchange. Honestly, Ayanokouji still couldn't predict what he was thinking or what he intended to do in this school.
And yet, somehow, by stepping in like that, he had made things both harder and easier at the same time.
"Horikita." He called out to her.
Slowly, Horikita lifted her head and looked at Ayanokouji. "What...?"
"..."
What Kumagawa did had gone a little too far.
Horikita's eyes, which were once filled with confidence in her own ability, were gradually losing their light. It was as if termites quietly eating away at it from the inside, little by little, without her even noticing. Of course, with her personality, she wouldn't break right away. But if things continued like this, she would eventually collapse completely.
That was something Ayanokouji couldn't allow.
From the beginning, he had intended to push her to this point. And with Ryuen's involvement, that process had been progressing faster than expected. But Kumagawa's interference had pushed her far past the limit Ayanokouji had in mind.
If he hadn't stopped him earlier, his plan for the future might have been completely ruined.
"While I don't completely agree with what Kumagawa said, there is some truth in it."
"...You too?"
Right now, she sounded completely defeated.
Even so, Ayanokouji continued.
"If you're aiming for Class A, there's a limit to what you can do alone. Right now, you're in a situation where you can't do much of anything. But isn't this also a chance for you? A chance to obtain a weapon that belongs to you, and you alone."
"A weapon... for me alone?"
"You'll face more exams like this in the future. When that happens, Sudou will definitely become a valuable asset. If you want to make use of that asset, what should you do right now? Wait for your injured leg to heal? Of course not. You need someone who can act as your hands and feet. With his physical ability, Sudou can become the perfect weapon for you."
Just as he had used Karuizawa, and sometimes Hirata, Horikita now had the chance to obtain a weapon of her own. Letting that chance slip by would be nothing but foolish.
"I..."
"I'll let you think about it. That's all I'll say."
After Kumagawa had forced despair onto her, Ayanokouji chose to leave behind something else.
A small piece of direction.
If she realized what truly mattered here, then she could still change.
So that she wouldn't end up as nothing more than a failed human being.
『END』
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Here you go peasants, another chapter.
Anyway, that's it for today's chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for reading!]