Two forces locked in struggle.
They collided head-on and neither yielded, so it was fair to call them evenly matched.
Our right forearms pressed together like crossed swords in a blade-lock, each of us trying to shove the other back.
"How does it feel to be out in the open?"
"…The worst."
Without a flicker in his inorganic expression, Ayanokouji spat the words.
"If I hadn't stopped you, the guys holding the pole wouldn't have gotten away with just injuries."
"I predicted you'd stop me to keep that from happening.
You did, in fact, stop me. Exactly as expected. Though even if you hadn't, they'd have been fine."
I had charged the D-Class defensive line like a bullet.
If I'd slammed into the pole at that speed, the damage to D-Class would have been catastrophic, just as he imagined.
Anyone else trying to block me would not have walked away unscathed. At worst, I'd have been disqualified.
But in reality, there was no problem.
I can accelerate from zero to maximum in an instant, and I can decelerate from maximum to zero just as fast.
In other words, I can stop on a dime.
Perfect control of acceleration and deceleration, from 0 to 100.
Possessing the talents of every kind of athlete, agility is naturally one of my Ultimate talents.
"Is that all you've got?"
Ayanokouji kept pushing without answering.
He cannot fool my ultimate analytical ability. Right now he is pouring every bit of strength he can produce into pushing back.
To exceed that would require greater focus and the will to surpass his limits.
I am not kind enough to wait for it. I add more force and break the deadlock.
With the gritty scrape of sand dragging beneath his feet, Ayanokouji begins to retreat, inch by inch.
"Everyone, follow Kamukura-san!"
A shout from behind.
The first wave has arrived.
They spread out around us—more precisely, they scatter left and right so as not to interfere—and try to pass.
"…I won't let you."
For a single instant, my body lurches forward.
Seizing that tiny loss of balance, I grab with my left hand the right wrist of Ayanokouji as he tries to collapse, and I pull.
It was sudden, but I understood.
The moment my attention shifted to the surroundings, Ayanokouji had deliberately leaped backward.
"I told you. A future exactly as predicted."
Ayanokouji frowns at my words and uses the pull to launch a left-forearm strike.
I block the momentum-driven attack with my right forearm.
Our arms now cross in an X.
The balance is gone. He tries to push me back, but the strength isn't there.
He has not surpassed his limits.
"…Deliberately falling to show the audience you lost in raw power.
There's only so much you can accomplish by stepping out here. That action was predicted."
Once people gather, the spectators won't be able to see clearly. Before that happens, he tries to fall on purpose.
Moreover, by collapsing he prevents C-Class's first wave from advancing straight ahead.
He forces them to go around, dispersing their strength.
Only someone like Ryuuen-kun would step over a fallen body and charge straight.
If his predicted future had come to pass, the first wave would have advanced while avoiding him.
Their strength scattered, time lost.
"Clever."
He refuses unfavorable fights.
He refuses to show his true ability in front of others.
He never intended to compete in the first place.
Clash, pretend to lose, buy time. The delayed arrival of the first wave also slowed their momentum because he had "stopped" me.
In the meantime, he lets the attacking A-Class push deeper and aims for victory.
"With that style of fighting, you will never beat me."
"I have no intention of winning. To begin with, I never thought the current D-Class could win a direct confrontation."
"This is about you and me. Why won't you compete?"
"…Well, I'm a pacifist."
He lied.
Lies do not work on me.
I could not detect it from his gaze, pupils, or body movements, but the contradiction between words and actions made the lie clear.
"Is that so. Then do your best to escape my restraint."
C-Class students are passing all around us.
From the spectator stands, this situation would be nearly impossible to make out even if someone strained their eyes. Unless they possessed exceptional eyesight and ultimate analytical ability, they could not see it.
In other words, this moment—unseen by anyone—was the perfect opportunity for someone who hates standing out.
"That's the plan."
With those words he pulls back the left arm we had been pushing with and forms a fist.
A jab. A punch with more than enough power and speed to be a serious threat comes straight at my field of vision.
An ordinary person would take far more damage than expected from such a blow.
That is what my ultimate analysis showed.
So I deliberately take it.
I meet the still-accelerating left fist with my forehead. A punch without full acceleration lacks decisive power; there is no issue transitioning to the next action.
As I take it on the forehead, I drop my hips and lean forward, slipping my body under his right arm.
The first step is the right foot and aligned toward his right foot.
At the same time, I seize his collar with my right hand. I rotate sharply and lift him onto my hips.
Shoulder throw.
Using the talent of an Ultimate judoka, I hurl him down.
The ground is sand. Without a proper breakfall, injury is inevitable; even with one, the damage is severe.
Yet he executes a perfect breakfall.
"Good judgment. At the very least, your instantaneous decision-making surpasses Mukuro Ikusaba. It seems to be the result of your peculiar analytical ability."
I look down at his sand-covered form and speak.
I have seen enough of his true capability, so I release his right wrist.
Faced with an unexpected move, he neither panicked nor gave in to emotion; he swiftly analyzed the next step.
Knowing I would execute a shoulder throw, he avoided unnecessary resistance and accepted the technique, minimizing the damage he took.
He could have landed a counterblow as he was thrown, but that would have left his body unable to continue the sports festival.
He suppressed the desire to strike back and connected to the next phase.
His maneuvering to avoid defeat is exceptionally skilled. Judging the situation that calmly requires no ordinary mentality.
"My mistake was arrogance—assuming there was no way a mere feint would invite a counter."
"You already considered every possibility... if I blocked with my right, if I dodged, if I countered elsewhere. That foresight is impressive."
Confidence that he could respond to anything allowed him to lag behind.
It is admirable, but from my perspective it is nothing more than hubris.
Carelessness is the greatest enemy. If you truly want to win, you must not give me even the slightest opening.
"Next time, come at me intending to win from the start. Then it might be a little more entertaining."
Ayanokouji offers no reply.
I charge straight into the D-Class base and topple their pole.
…
The pole toppling ends in victory for the BC alliance, and the first-year boys withdraw to their tents.
Next come the second-year boys, then the third-years, competing under the same rules.
After that is the girls' bean bag toss. For the girls, the order begins with third-years, then second-years, and finally first-years.
"That was close, everyone!"
Kushida calls out words of encouragement to the D-Class boys returning to the tent in a dark mood.
Her cute smile and maternal demeanor dispel the gloom and turn it into cheer.
"Good work, Yosuke-kun! You were so cool!"
"…Thanks. But I'm sorry we didn't win."
Hirata, one of D-Class's central figures, receives words of comfort and a towel from Karuizawa-san.
Yet his voice is heavy, and the expression visible as he wipes away sweat is stern.
Seeing this, many girls gather around Hirata, offering more comfort and encouragement.
"Sudo-kun, you fought so hard! Taking down three guys even when surrounded—that was amazing!"
Amid the chatter, Kushida speaks to Sudo, who had led the charge.
Sudo's face lights up for a moment before shifting to an embarrassed grimace.
"…Sorry. I couldn't get results."
"Don't apologize. You gave everything you had, Sudo-kun."
Kushida soothes him gently. Still, his clouded expression does not clear.
The 100-meter dash was thwarted at the start, the obstacle race a narrow first place, the pole toppling a total defeat.
Sudo had poured his outstanding athletic ability into the class.
Yet the results were far from satisfying. His performances were good enough, but he himself was not satisfied.
His spirits were sinking.
"I'm supposed to be a leader, but all I've managed are pathetic results."
"Switch gears! The sports festival has only just begun."
"Yeah, but…"
"You can't give up until the very end."
Kushida speaks earnestly, trying to persuade him.
"…You're right."
Moved by her sincerity, Sudo forces a smile. His heart has not broken yet.
"Hey, hey, Kushida-chan. What about me? Me?"
In stark contrast to Sudo, Ike Kanji was all carefree optimism.
He was waiting, pure and simple, to be praised.
He grinned like an idiot, but it wasn't because he wasn't taking the sports festival seriously—it was because he was trying to keep the mood light with that smile.
"Kanji, you were useless out there. How do you get blown away that easily?"
"C-Come on, it couldn't be helped! I didn't run away—that means I tried my hardest, right? Right, Kikyou-chan!?"
Ike had been guarding the outer perimeter in the pole toppling.
The result, however, was an instant knockout.
He'd fought desperately to stop Kamukura Izuru as he closed in at superhuman speed, only to be sent flying by a body blow.
"…Well, the fact that you stood your ground was pretty cool."
"…'Was'? What about the rest?"
"Sorry, Kanji-kun."
Kushida pressed her hands together in apology.
It seemed she genuinely couldn't think of anything else to praise.
Having dug his own grave, Ike collapsed to his knees, hands on the ground, head hanging in exaggerated defeat.
The over-the-top reaction turned everyone's expressions into smiles.
No matter how silly it was, being able to lift the atmosphere was a wonderful thing. It kept everyone motivated.
But not every face lit up with a smile.
Some still wore grim expressions.
"Pathetic."
A boy brushed sand off his dirt-covered jersey with his left hand. Having returned to the tent late, he was immediately scolded by Horikita Suzune.
"And why did you do something so conspicuous?"
"If I hadn't, someone would've gotten hurt. That's why Hirata told me to stop him. Besides, if we didn't stop that guy, we had no chance of winning, right?"
"I see… For you, that was surprisingly noble."
"I always have a noble heart."
"Liar."
Horikita shot Ayanokouji Kiyotaka a glare sharp enough to make most people flinch.
"If you truly did, you would have shown that athletic ability to everyone much earlier."
"It's that 'strength in a crisis' thing. When I thought about protecting everyone, power just surged through me more than usual."
"What a disgusting joke. And that wasn't a speed you could explain away with words like that.
Nor was that strength. While Ike-kun and the others were easily sent flying, you neutralized the charge and held your ground."
Ayanokouji had clashed head-on with Kamukura and hadn't been blown away.
This fact had been laid bare to every single spectator.
Though he had ultimately been thrown, the fact remained that he had appeared to fight on even terms for a moment.
It was only natural that he became the center of attention.
"Are you going to call that 'strength in a crisis' too?"
"Pretty much."
Realizing Ayanokouji had no intention of answering seriously, Horikita clicked her tongue.
She, too, was in a foul mood.
She had lost to C-Class students in two consecutive individual events.
"You're in a rough mood."
"…A little. But the sports festival has only just begun. There's still time to produce results."
With that, Horikita left the area.
Now alone, Ayanokouji also began to move.
After drinking water from a bottle in the tent, he headed toward the temporary cottages the school had set up.
The cottages had water dispensers for refills and rest areas where injured students could relax comfortably.
"Hey, Kiyotaka."
Karuizawa called out to Ayanokouji as he walked slowly.
"I told you to avoid drawing attention."
"It's fine. You're the star of that last event. If I say I'm asking about it, no one will suspect anything."
The two spoke in low voices.
They walked side by side, but one of them had a boyfriend.
Some might find it odd, but if they assumed she was asking about the earlier event, no one would think twice.
Fortunately, Karuizawa gave off the vibe of someone who loved gossip, so misunderstandings were unlikely.
"So, are you actually okay? I noticed you were down at the end…"
"No issues. I took the fall properly."
"Then why are you heading to the cottage?"
He was going to the cottage without even bringing his water bottle.
The possible reasons were either treating an injury or slacking off.
It was unthinkable that Ayanokouji, who had fought so hard in pole toppling, would slack off.
Therefore, the reasonable conclusion was that he was going to treat an injury.
"I'm just going to disinfect some scrapes and get bandages."
"…I have bandages if you need them."
Karuizawa pulled some out of her pocket.
She must have prepared them when she approached him. It was clear she had brought them for his sake.
"Save those for someone else. It's not that urgent right now."
"True. Since you don't have a single scrape anywhere."
There was no dirt on his jersey, and the sand on his arms and legs had already been brushed off.
There were no visible injuries. Not even a minor abrasion.
To Karuizawa, Ayanokouji hadn't looked like he was in pain or suppressing any discomfort.
And yet, this person who had no need for injury treatment finally arrived at the cottage.
"Next is the bean bag toss, right? You should go prepare."
"…Fine."
With a reluctant expression, Karuizawa headed back toward the tent.
Ayanokouji saw her off, then entered the cottage. The air conditioning made it a comfortable space.
"What's wrong?"
A female staff member approached Ayanokouji as he entered and asked his business.
"I'm injured. Could I have an ice pack?"
"Understood. This way, please."
Ayanokouji stated it without showing the injured area, but she responded promptly.
Following her instructions, he went deeper into the room.
They arrived at a space that resembled a hospital room. There were about six beds, each partitioned by curtains, and one was in use.
In the aisle between the beds stood Hoshinomiya Chie, the B-Class homeroom teacher and health supervisor.
She sat not on the provided folding chair but on a proper backed chair, wearing a white coat.
"Oh my, it's Ayanokouji-kun. What's up?"
She waved and spoke in her usual casual tone.
Ayanokouji unfolded a nearby folding chair and sat down.
"I'm injured, so I'd like an ice pack."
"Where did you get hurt? Show big sis."
"Do I have to show you?"
Ayanokouji asked the smiling Hoshinomiya.
"Hmm, well, it's something I'm supposed to record for the school, you know. If I don't examine you properly, I'll get in trouble with the higher-ups."
Hoshinomiya answered while poking Ayanokouji's cheek.
That playful, mischievous gesture would normally irritate most people, but Ayanokouji's expression remained unchanged.
"Are you perhaps thinking that if the injury is bad enough, you won't be allowed to continue the sports festival?"
"…And if I am?"
"Fufufu, bullseye, maybe. There's such a thing as a doctor's orders, after all.
I wouldn't want students pushing through an injury that could get worse. But for minor stuff, it's pretty much left to the student's discretion, you know~"
A pure, dangerous smile—the kind one wears when finding a new plaything.
The seductive edge hidden in that smile was not something an adult should direct at a child.
"If I let Sae-chan's precious student rest here, wouldn't that be advantageous for B-Class?"
B-Class was on the white team, D-Class on the red. Reducing their fighting strength here would indeed give an advantage.
"Is a teacher allowed to do something like that?"
"Oh, come on~ I'm joking, joking."
Hoshinomiya poked his cheek once more.
The earlier atmosphere vanished, replaced by the image of someone who simply liked to keep people close.
Ayanokouji let out a sigh at her free-spirited behavior.
"You want to keep competing, don't you, Ayanokouji-kun? Youth really is wonderful.
Fine, fine—big sis will keep quiet for you."
"…Thank you."
After thanking her, Ayanokouji rolled up the sleeve of his right arm jersey.
The injury, it seemed, was on his right forearm.
"…!? Wait, Ayanokouji-kun, this is…"
Hoshinomiya's eyes widened in shock as she quickly stood up.
She prepared an ice pack in a flash and returned to him.
"…How were you keeping a straight face with an injury like that? This bruising isn't normal. Has the sensation in your arm gone numb?"
His forearm was red and swollen with inflammation.
The painful-looking redness spread as though invading the surrounding muscle fibers.
The bone wasn't broken, but it was clearly no ordinary injury.
"Well, there is some numbness, so the feeling might be a bit off."
"…This is definitely the kind of thing that would earn a doctor's stop order."
Hoshinomiya pressed a hand to her lips and fell into thought with a grave expression.
The playful smile from earlier was gone, replaced by a serious demeanor.
"Honestly, I don't want you continuing the events. That's my opinion as the health supervisor.
An injury like that won't heal in a day or two. You should rest. If it worsens, you might not be able to use your dominant arm properly for a while."
"But I can't cause trouble for the class because of me. Hoshinomiya-sensei, please overlook this."
Ayanokouji directed a serious expression at her.
He looked straight into her eyes, sincerity clear in his gaze.
"…Fine. But if the pain gets worse, you absolutely stop. I'll tell Sae-chan about this too."
"Thank you. Then I'll be going."
Ayanokouji stood, cooling his right forearm with the ice pack.
He turned to leave the area with brisk steps.
"——A beautiful mindset, isn't it, Ayanokouji-boy."
A voice came from the occupied bed.
When Ayanokouji turned, the curtain was pulled open and a blond boy emerged.
It was Kouenji Rokusuke. A D-Class student who had been resting in the cottage since the start of the sports festival.
His bright, refreshed smile was directed at Ayanokouji.
"I was able to witness your battle with Kamukura-boy earlier.
You stood against him and, for a moment at least, appeared to match him. That alone is splendid.
During the uninhabited island exam, you were the only one who noticed my actions. Mediocre… I shall retract that evaluation."
Yet as he spoke those strong words, he drew closer.
"The result is this arm. A state where even your own events will be impaired."
He approached Ayanokouji and gently touched the right arm.
The swelling still hadn't gone down; the injury remained painful to look at.
"Yet even so, you intend to fulfill your role. A beautiful mindset."
"In the end, what are you trying to say, Kouenji?"
When Ayanokouji asked, Kouenji smiled and answered.
"It's simple. Your actions have put me in an exceptionally good mood.
Which means… my condition has improved."
At those words, Ayanokouji's eyes widened.
Kouenji's fearless smile made the meaning easy to grasp.
"Teacher, my condition is improving. I'll return to the events a little later. That's fine, yes?"
"Of course. You don't have to say 'a little later'—you could go right now~"
"That won't do. If I'm dragged down by mediocrities in team events, my mood will sour again."
He elegantly brushed off even Hoshinomiya-sensei's slightly sharp remark.
His nonchalant attitude somehow came across as reliable.
"Then, Ayanokouji-boy. Until I return, continue giving your utmost effort."
"…Yeah, got it."
Kouenji returned to the bed.
The heavy thud as he lay back down made it easy to guess he had reclined once more.
A free spirit. Everything he did was dictated by his mood, yet he possessed the ability to back it up.
"Then I'll be heading back."
"Take care~"
Ayanokouji headed for the exit while holding his right arm.
Hoshinomiya watched him go before returning to her duties.
Ayanokouji walked slowly and left the cottage.
The girls' team bean bag toss had already begun with the third-years.
"…A beautiful mindset, huh."
Ayanokouji muttered to himself as he walked the path back to the tent at the same pace.
His expression somehow seemed darker.
"'Mindset'… I don't even have something like that, Kouenji."
A self-mocking smile.
It was proof that he was defective.
Not defective because he was in D-Class, the lowest-ranked class in the school.
Defective as a human being—lacking what should naturally be there.
"To think an existence that might be able to bury me is this close."
His smile shifted.
The self-mockery gave way to a mix of joy and hatred.
Light and shadow. Emotions that could be called opposites churned together in a messy yet forcibly unified whole.
"I'm really glad I came to this school."
He stopped the eerie smile and adopted a detached air.
He felt the vastness of the world on his skin.
His pride had been broken; he had learned that people with clearly superior abilities existed.
The frog in the well does not know the great sea.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka finally understood those words.
The White Room. A facility designed to artificially create geniuses.
There, from the moment he was born, he had received an education so thorough it made the term "gifted education" pale in comparison.
What he gained was an enormous wealth of knowledge and experience that ordinary humans could never acquire even if they spent their entire lives trying.
And confidence born from surviving that harsh environment.
He had believed no one in the world could surpass him, even while acknowledging the possibility.
But today, that existence had appeared.
"I can still 'learn' so much more."
The monster smiled again.
Bearing the sad contradiction of expectation and loathing, he continued forward.
***
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