Chapter 126: Devilish Training
"What are you two doing, flirting over there?!"
"I saw you both slacking off! Five more laps, and if you slack again, I'll add another five!"
Kito's single-dog rage roared out, his drill-sergeant demeanor issuing a painful order to Hikigaya Hachiman and Kamuro Masumi.
They didn't know how to argue back. When Kito said this, Kamuro even felt embarrassed.
She wasn't sure how many saw what happened on the track, her focus had been entirely on Hikigaya.
For once, Hikigaya didn't complain, running alongside Kamuro. Why? His mind was consumed by the incident.
He needed intense exercise to cool off.
They ran five more laps shoulder-to-shoulder, silent. Both were too shy to speak.
Kamuro was bold in love and hate. If she were in a relationship, she'd seize control, initiating kisses and confessions. But what just happened was truly an accident, so…
She pretended it never occurred.
After the "warm-up," both were drenched in sweat. Who runs 15 laps as a warm-up? It's like they weren't even treating them as underperformers.
Hikigaya glanced at Class B's others. They ran five fewer laps but were equally exhausted, some red-faced. He mused, Guess Class B isn't all athletic…
At least these few were as unfit as him.
Kito's next drills cemented his "devil coach" title. Each time Hikigaya neared collapse, Kito gave brief rests, pushing physical limits. It was the most intense training of Hikigaya's life.
He was sure he'd never exercised this much in years, and this was just day one.
Amid the groans, Kito granted another short break.
Hikigaya observed others. Despite the grueling drills, he felt no severe discomfort, just occasional pain, nothing like the others' exaggerated reactions.
Some were pale, others vomiting. He realized his stamina wasn't as bad as he thought.
Kito noticed too. Among the fallen, only Kamuro and Hikigaya seemed relatively fine, which struck him as odd.
Perhaps Hikigaya wasn't weak in stamina or strength, better than most, even. His lifestyle and mindset created the illusion of athletic incompetence.
First, laziness. He never tapped into his physical potential, fostering the misconception he was unfit.
Second, and key, his mindset: always solving problems with minimal effort, sitting if he could avoid standing.
This wasn't unusual, but Hikigaya took it to extremes.
This mindset led him to underestimate his talent and stamina, never exploring his limits, thus never knowing them.
He was too clever, too adept at slacking, resulting in this state. To Kito, it was a case of being too smart for his own good.
Kito didn't like or dislike Hikigaya. He saw him as just another student from another class. As his coach, he felt duty-bound to unlock his potential.
For a coach, seeing a student improve was the greatest reward, and Kito felt that now.
After the break, Kito devised a new training plan for Hikigaya. To prevent tricks, Kamuro was assigned to train with him, her professional training ensuring she could handle it.
Kamuro: "Great, now I'm suffering even more with you."
Hikigaya: "I should've faked vomiting earlier. Everyone else is dying, and we're so casual, it'll make us targets."
Kamuro: "Is that the issue?"
Hikigaya, realizing his mistake, backtracked. "Alright, alright, Kamuro-sama, I shouldn't have tried escaping and dragged you in. Since I can't escape, let's train properly."
Kamuro: "What's with the 180-degree attitude change? Did you take the wrong pill?"
Hikigaya: "Didn't you say training's good? Even if I don't shine in the sports festival, it's still beneficial."
Kamuro felt trapped by her own words, unable to escape.
Sometimes, your own words come back to bite you.
Their brief chat eased the tension, followed by Kito's relentless torment.
…
The setting sun's glow reflected off Hikigaya's sweat-soaked face, shimmering golden.
Kamuro's clothes, drenched, dripped sweat from her arms and cheeks.
Exhausted, she collapsed, panting heavily. Her soaked outfit clung to her, accentuating her figure, making Hikigaya swallow hard.
Kamuro: "I… you… aren't you supposed to be weak? What's with you?!"
Hikigaya: "How do I put it? I used to bike to school, so my stamina's slightly above average."
Kamuro, shocked: "That's it? No way. You're not just slightly above average."
Hikigaya didn't think so. If his stamina was good, wouldn't Hayama Hayato's be amazing?
He could admit his own weakness, but never Hayama's strength.
That's what he thought.
Kamuro, still panting, looked incredulous.
Hikigaya: "Maybe it's a guy-girl difference. I'm tired too, look, I'm soaked."
Kamuro's eyes screamed bullshit. "If you call that tired, what am I, collapsed here?"
Hikigaya was speechless. He hadn't expected Kamuro to falter, given her martial arts skills. She shouldn't be that weak.
He wasn't looking down on her, he was genuinely tired, but quick rests helped him recover.
Kamuro refused to talk further, feeling embarrassed.
Training with him daily might end up training her instead.
She wanted to quit, but Hikigaya would surely use her own words, "training protects your body", against her.
She'd dug her own grave.
[Chat Room…]
[Hayama: "Looks like Hikigaya-kun's determined to train."]
[Hikigaya: "Completely forced."]
[Hayama: "Nothing wrong with that. Kamuro's right, training's beneficial."]
[Hikigaya: "I don't have your grand ambitions. My ideal is lying in bed."]
[Yuigahama Yui: "Hikki, that mindset's worrying. Why do you always come up with these excuses?"]
[Excuses? Househusband is no excuse!]
[Yukinoshita: "Whatever he says, Hikigaya-kun needs to train. The video shows it well."]
[Hikigaya: "You didn't think that earlier."]
[Yukinoshita sent a smiling emoji, letting him figure it out.]
[Isshiki Iroha: "Anyone notice senpai's athletic ability isn't bad? He acts so weak usually, why?"]
[Miura Yumiko, shrugging: "No why. Obviously, he's slacking again."]
[Ebina Hina, curious: "Hikigaya, if you went all out, could you outrun Hayama-kun?"]
[Hikigaya, exasperated but unsure how to answer: "I'm just slightly above average. Hayama's a superhuman, I can't compare."]
[Hayama, smiling: "You're pretty monstrous yourself."]
['What's this, a new insult? Someone stop him.']
[Horikita: "That's Hikigaya's stamina? Pretty incredible."]
[Kushida Kikyo: "This guy's weirdly surprising everywhere."]
[Karuizawa: "There is no way to tell he had that stamina. With his usual demeanor, it's hard to imagine."]
[Sakura: "It's Hachiman, after all…"]
[Ike Kanji: "Not again. Don't tell me he's gonna shine in the sports festival."]
[Yamauchi Haruki: "I admit his athletic ability's above average, but Ike, I doubt he'll stand out. We've got Sudo, and other classes have guys like him."]
[Everyone had different views. Ichinose Honami watched the video, smiling faintly.]
["Feels like the real you."]
After Kito's first day of training, Hikigaya felt drained of all energy. Back in his room, he showered and collapsed into bed.
The next morning, his limbs ached.
This lasted weeks until the sports festival arrived, marking a rare school exam.
After third-year Class A's Horikita Manabu's speech, everyone gathered at their camps. As part of the White team, Classes B and C's camps were close.
Post-opening ceremony, the intense events began. With no cheerleading or dance performances, the schedule moved fast. Sakayanagi, stationed in Class B, approached Class C's base.
Her petite, frail frame contrasted with her captivating face, drawing Class C's attention.
Every first-year knew her.
She was Class B's sole leader, Sakayanagi Arisu.
Dragging her impaired legs, she approached, bowing gently under sympathetic gazes.
"I'm sorry I can't compete and am causing trouble for Class C."
Her graceful movements and ever-gentle smile made everyone want to protect her.
Her words sparked restlessness in Class C.
Ike: "No worries! Leave it to us, we'll win."
Yamauchi: "Yeah, Classes A and D are no big deal."
Sotomura: "Fighting is for men!"
Led by Ike, several boys comforted (or fawned over) Sakayanagi.
Their endless chatter annoyed Hikigaya.
Class B, expecting this, showed no reaction. But Hashimoto and Katsuragi Kohei's stares at Hikigaya made him doubt they were allies.
Kamuro glanced occasionally, likely out of her thief's instinct to observe prey.
Karuizawa approached Hikigaya, visibly nervous.
"Ready for our event?"
Honestly, his knees ached, but he nodded sincerely.
For the mixed-gender two-person three-legged race, he thought partnering with Karuizawa would be easy. But her hidden clumsiness made her forget how to walk once their legs were tied, tripping countless times and sapping his confidence.
He'd even considered carrying her to the finish line.
Karuizawa Kei seemed to agree with the idea, perhaps partly because she didn't want to fall and partly because she wanted to be carried, or maybe both.
Unfortunately, that would be a foul.
After weeks of training and countless falls, they finally developed a unique synergy.
Hikigaya even figured out when Karuizawa would switch to her clumsy same-side stride, allowing him to adjust and cooperate.
They were too in sync…
"Just do our best. As long as we're not last, we're fine."
Karuizawa was optimistic. "Relax, our coordination's not perfect, but in this short time, other classes can't match us."
Hikigaya appreciated her positivity but wished she'd gather intel first to boost confidence further.
With her social skills, getting such info wouldn't be hard.
Class C wasn't bad at gathering intel either, thanks to Kushida Kikyo. Getting information was never an issue.
For instance, they knew Class A had Shibata So, an athletic freak, and Kanzaki Ryuji, exceptional in both academics and sports.
As for Ryuen Kakeru's class, they were too familiar.
Yamada Albert, Ryuen Kakeru, and Ibuki Mio were undeniable threats. The others weren't as strong.
Under everyone's anticipation, the first event, the 100-meter dash, began.
It started with first-year boys, progressing to third-year girls, completing one event cycle. As a mandatory event, it went one group at a time.
There were breaks, like during lunch. After lunch, first-year girls started, continuing until third-year boys finished, alternating. Each class submitted participant lists before events, then competed.
Other classes' running orders were only revealed at the event's start, but most had set lists unless major changes occurred.
Each class sent two runners per group, eight total in a line. Hikigaya was in the seventh group. First-year boys had ten groups. Morale was key, so Sudo Ken led the first group, aiming to crush the competition and boost Class C's confidence while demoralizing others.
But… if Sudo loses, the class will…
As Hikigaya thought this, Sudo approached, patting his shoulder with a mature smile.
"No need to worry."
"Then it's on you."
After their brief exchange, Sudo took the track. Other classes, anticipating this, avoided their aces in the first group, sending average students.
At the starting gun, Sudo's perfect sprint left others 30 meters behind in a blink, easily clinching first under the school's gaze.
"So exaggerated."
With two classmates per group, the unlucky one with Sudo was Yamauchi Haruki, who… got second-to-last.
Everyone thought he'd avoid last place in this situation, but for some reason, maybe underperforming, he didn't hit his potential.
Before they could savor the victory, the second group sped off. To finish all races in one day, first-year boys' runs took just five minutes. In another school, this would be unthinkable, but at this school, it was pure physical competition.
I'm kind of impressed by the school's organizers. With such a tight schedule, any mishap would be impossible to fix.
As Hikigaya mused, a commotion erupted ahead.
As expected, Koenji Rokusuke, slated for the third group, had left.
He found the sports festival too boring and skipped it.
Though Horikita had talked to him, it clearly had no effect.
It dampened Class C's morale, but it was expected, no shock.
With Koenji absent, Kanzaki took first in the third group undisputedly.
No one could stop him. Class B's Katsuragi Kohei only secured third.
As Hikigaya prepared to clear his mind and run, Hirata, also in the seventh group, informed him.
Koenji was reportedly hiding in a corner of a shed, leisurely combing his hair.
Hirata wanted Hikigaya to convince him.
Hikigaya knew it wasn't that simple. Koenji was uncontrollable. His participation would be great, but if he refused, there was no forcing him.
He just nodded.
(End of this chapter)