40 Vol 8 Chapter 3 COTE

Chapter 3: Premonition of defeat

On a Saturday, which would have been a holiday in our school life, there are still lessons being held for the duration of the outdoors school.

But even though I call them lessons, the timetable itself differs somewhat from the weekdays.

What could be referred to as lessons ended with the morning and after that is our own free time.

The special exam that began on Thursday too, is already on its third day.

Discord began to occur within the group.

It started around 5 o'clock in the early morning.

"Aaaah, I'm fucking sleepy!".

At the outdoor cookhouse near the school building, Ishizaki screamed.

"Everyone's in the same boat. Ahh, please measure it so you don't mess up the amount of miso".

Keisei warns him while flipping through the paper on which the breakfast menu was written that the teachers had given us.

"Shut it. Why do I have to participate in cooking the meals in the first place?".

Even as he moved his hands to stir the miso, Ishizaki did not stop cursing.

"It can't be helped, right? There's the possibility we'll incur a penalty if everyone isn't assembled here".

"Hell if I care, shit...ahh".

"What's with that 'ahh' just now?".

"....nothing".

"No way that was nothing. Where's the salt you had in your hands!?".

"I added it all".

Apparently, quite a bit of salt got added to the miso soup that Ishizaki was in charge of.

Keisei panickedly put out the fire and checked the taste. And then he coughed.

"You put too much in it, ugh! It's not drinkable....".

If you gave that miso soup to the senior students, you'd get bashed severely for it.

In the first place, it's bad for your body.

"Nothing for it but to make it again".

"Don't fuck around. If we're making it again, then you start over from scratch. I mean, what about Kouenji?".

"Hell if I know".

"You're in the same damn class".

While glancing at the two of them quarreling over miso soup, Hashimoto skillfully handled a frying pan on top of the stove while cooking up an omelette.

"You're quite the dexterous one...".

"It's because I always cook my own meals".

Hashimoto said so without a hint of pride and briskly continued cooking.

Albert approached Hashimoto silently. In his hands he carried a bowl with scrambled eggs in it.

"Thank you. If you don't mind, can I ask you to cut the vegetables too?".

Despite his large frame, Albert began skillfully swinging a kitchen knife on the chopping board.

Since there are a lot of mouths to feed, Hashimoto cooks the eggs one after another.

It appears, as far as cooking is concerned, these two are set to be our aces.

On the other hand, I managed to acquire the extremely undemanding task of preparing the raw vegetables and tableware.

However, since I have to prepare everyone's worth of vegetables, it's still a lot.

I can't help with the china but I feel like I should help out with cutting the vegetables too.

As I stood beside Albert, he looked at me silently and so I tried communicating with him via eye contact.

"Can you handle it? Cutting vegetables, I mean".

"Probably".

Somehow, we managed to understand one another sufficiently enough and he handed over the kitchen knife to me.

I'm glad I've utilized one before, even if only a little, since I had started living in the dorm.

I cut the vegetables, keeping up with Albert's proficiency.

Still, I wonder exactly where that Kouenji went off to.

It's already been more than 30 minutes since he said he'd be going to the toilet. Class A and Class B students each sent a single student to look for him but seeing as how they aren't back yet, it would appear they haven't found him.

In the end, Kouenji did not return until breakfast and even after he returned, he didn't even try to persistently make the excuse that he was stuck in the toilet due to a stomach ache.

As such, I should assume the relationship between Ishizaki and Kouenji has completely deteriorated.

1

3 o'clock in the morning of that very same Saturday, it happened while I was studying morals in the classroom. I could hear the cheerful voice of a girl from outside. When I peered out of the window from the 3rd floor, I could see the figure of Ichinose running energetically around the campus. She seemed to have had a difficult time putting together her group on the first day but the important thing is that she looks cheerful now.

Sakayanagi had declared her intention to crush Ichinose but so far there's no sign of that happening. Of course, that might only be on the surface.

Gazing down from above, I could tell who Ichinose's group members are to a certain extent. Surprisingly enough, I only spotted one person from our Class C among them. As for Class B, Ichinose's the only one there I recognized. Perhaps just like the boys have done, they're forming groups comprised of a majority class to maintain the four classes status quo and picked her from Class B to meet the minimum requirement.

I don't really know the students from Class A and Class B in detail but I also spotted the girl who collided with Horikita during the sports festival and sustained injuries as part of Ryuuen's ploy.

Fortunately, it looks like she's made a complete recovery since she's now running without much difficulty. By the way, the student from our Class C who's part of that group is a girl by the name of Wang Mei-Yu.

She had first come here from China back when she was an elementary school student and has remained in this country ever since. That's what I heard from someone in class. Her nickname is 'Mii-chan'.

A nickname that those not close to her would find difficult to call her by. As for what else I know about her, her grades are nothing short of extraordinary and she's particularly good at English...is the image I have of her.

Their overall grades may somewhat differ but no matter how you look at it, she's just as good as Keisei when it comes to academics. And also, strangely enough, she's similar to Keisei when it comes to sports as well. She's desperately trying to keep up with the rest of her group members, but she's by far the worst one. Even now, she's breathing hard while looking up at the sky like she's about to collapse. She's limping and swaying.

Ichinose noticed Mii-chan falling behind and slowed down. And while giving her support in the form of encouragements, she decided to run alongside her. And after a slight delay, yet another girl, Class D's Shiina Hiyori, also linked up with them.

She doesn't exactly look like the athletic type but with a smile on her face, she kept pace with the other two girls. According to what Ryuuen and those around him have been saying, Shiina's been acting as the leader of the girls of Class D. If that is indeed the case then the group I'm seeing right now would have the leaders of two classes in it.

With this in mind, it wouldn't be strange for Horikita and Sakayanagi to be in the same group as one another, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Now feeling a little curious about how exactly this group came to be, I took my eyes off the text I'm supposed to be studying and looked out the window. I could tell that the atmosphere in the classroom had become a heavy one due to the words that came from the teacher.

"I'll have the lot of you introduce yourselves now. However, I want you to keep in mind that this isn't just simply a self-introduction you'll be doing but that it's part of your lesson here. Every day henceforth, you will be giving a speech. The theme of the speech will differ from school year to school year but the four main criteria you'll be judged on are: 'Volume', 'Posture', 'Subject' and 'Communicativeness'".

The word speech had been written in the materials we had been given on the bus as well.

No doubt this is one of the subjects being examined here at the outdoor school. In all likelihood, everyone in this large group will have to come up with their own speech to give. For those with poor communication skills, this particular subject may seem nothing short of hellish.

The 1st years are told to give their speech based on what they've learned so far throughout this year and what they wish to learn in the following years. The 2nd and 3rd years are to give their speech based on matters like their future course and employment. Basically, things that have to do with their futures.

"Seriously? What a shitty exam...".

I could understand why Ishizaki would say that disgustedly but his mutters are too loud. It appears the teacher heard that as well but he didn't give any words of rebuke.

Whether you choose to take this seriously or fool around, in the end your decisions will come back to affect the group. It probably means we're free to do as we wish.

After lessons, a certain man approached the 1st year group. Ishizaki had been resting his legs on the table but upon spotting that man, he spontaneously corrected his posture.

He's Kiriyama from Class B of the 2nd years as well as the vice president of the student council under Nagumo.

He used to be in Class A but after having been destroyed by Nagumo, he seems to have fallen. However, he still seems to desire Nagumo's downfall deep down inside as he's made contact with me through the older Horikita.

"I think you should fix your attitude towards these lessons".

"S-Sure. I mean, I wasn't really making any noise or anything".

"I'm not just talking about Ishizaki. I'm also talking about you, Kouenji".

Despite desiring his downfall, on the surface he has to act the part of the dutiful vice president. He probably wants to fix whatever could have an effect on the way the whole large group is evaluated.

"We're only going to be judged in this special exam based on the test we're taking on the last day, aren't we? Whether or not we take these lessons seriously isn't really that important, I think".

"The written exam isn't everything there is to this special exam. Have you not given any thought to the fact that your attitude throughout the training camp and the impression it gives might have an effect on it too? Besides, how exactly are you going to get a high score on the exam if you don't take these lessons seriously?".

"The answer is 'simple is best', right? Because it's me we're talking about".

"I see. So you're saying it's easy for you to get a high score then? However, we'll see after the exam whether or not you've managed to pull off a high score. As long as you're part of a group, don't you think it's important for you to act to alleviate the concerns of those around you?".

"If this is a group that would actually concern themselves over how I act, then I'd have to say this group isn't worth much".

"You don't get to judge that, Kouenji".

"Then who gets to make that judgement, may I ask?".

"The collective whole. That's something for every student here to decide".

Ishizaki sniggers while putting up with the vice president's words. He's probably rejoicing at seeing Kouenji being put down. However, Kouenji isn't someone that sort of 'common sense' would work on.

"Even if all of you were to be stacked on top of one another, I'm still worth far more as an individual human being. What I mean to say is that people without a good eye for things cannot hope to make a judgement like that".

"Looks like you're far too immature to be a high school student. How infantile".

Kiriyama wields common sense as a weapon against Kouenji, who didn't cower one bit before him. By the time I noticed, almost half the 2nd years are now crowding around where we 1st years are sitting.

Ishizaki too, couldn't afford to laugh forever and stiffened his expression. I could hear words that sounded slightly threatening coming from around us.

"Besides, it's not just Kouenji. I see other students here and there causing problems too".

Of course if we're talking about problem students that would naturally include Ishizaki but I honestly can't think of anyone else. Everyone else should've been taking the lessons seriously in their own way. Kiriyama's probably lumping all the 1st years together with the aim of getting us to focus. He's probably putting pressure on us by reminding us that we'll be making enemies out of the senior students if we continue acting arrogantly like this.

Kouenji's just the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Leave them be, Kiriyama".

The 3rd year Ishikura saw the situation and offered a helping hand.

"Guidance that goes too far may be interpreted as bullying. If rumors like that spread, you're the one who's going to be in trouble. The 1st years have a good grip on the situation, don't they?".

When Ishikura asked us that question, everyone aside from Kouenji, including me, nodded.

"Bravo, Ishikura-senpai. You really grasped the situation well".

Nagumo, who had been silently watching this scene play out without joining the conversation, now happily started speaking.

"You're wasted on Class B. In the first place, Ishikura-senpai isn't really lucky".

"Isn't lucky, you say? I don't want to admit it but it's just that I wasn't good enough".

"I don't think that's the case. Senpai, the only reason you weren't able to climb your way up to Class A is because there's a genius like Horikita Manabu there. I'm aware you've put up a good fight throughout these 3 years. The class point difference between Class A and Class B is 312. Graduation isn't that far off but I think you're closing in on them".

"Then are you saying you're going to lead this group to victory?".

"Yep. If Ishikura-senpai's willing to entrust me with everything then we'll beat this special exam. And that's just a trifle because I'll help you climb your way up to Class A. We may even be able to get Horikita-senpai expelled from this school, you know?".

"Too bad, Nagumo. Horikita isn't the leader this time. You're the same too though, of course. There's no way to pin something on him that's good enough to get him dragged down either".

"It doesn't matter whether he's the leader or not. It also doesn't matter if he can be dragged down or not. There are many ways to crush him".

Nagumo said so and laughed.

"Sorry but I can't trust you. Not to the extent that I'd entrust you with Class B's fate".

"That's unfortunate".

Nagumo spoke all that in front of everyone in the group. Innocent defenselessness. Or perhaps he's deliberately making himself seem defenseless? There's no way it's going to be the former.

2

During dinner, I decided to act. I say 'act' but all I'm doing here is trying to work out the situation on the girls' side. Because the fact that Ichinose and Shiina are in the same group caught my attention. It would be best if I can work out what's going on with the other groups. As for Kei, she's having dinner in the same spot as the previous days to make it easier for me to approach her.

Even though I ordered no such thing. How reliable of her. On the other hand, I had been randomly picking empty seats and didn't tie myself down to one location for meals.

That's because I chose to avoid making open contact with Kei, just in case. There aren't many students who are aware of the relationship between me, Ryuuen plus a few other Class D students, vice president Kiriyama and Kei.

Besides, there's also an enemy within I need to watch out for. I checked the time and took a seat near Kei. And as I began thinking of a way to make her aware of my presence---

"hnn---".

Kei greeted me with a squeak? I was greeted by something along the lines of that. Looks like Kei noticed me coming over, despite the fact that she had been chatting with her friends. If so, I should just patiently wait until she's rid herself of the nuisance.

Kei continued eating dinner leisurely and manipulated her friends into leaving with the excuse of returning to their room early. I had been considering postponing our converation if it meant another student might barge in during the middle of it, or if her friends had chosen to stay but it looks like she's succeeded in manipulating them.

Eventually, there's no one left around us who'd pay attention to either of us and so our conversation started.

Of course, if someone came our way this conversation would instantly be cut short though.

"So? Finally feel like relying on me on the third day?".

"That's about right. There's far too little information on the girls".

"Well, it can't be helped right? For someone with a communication disorder like you, there are only a few girls you could possibly make contact with".

She gave me the cold shoulder right off the bat.

Of course, if that's something Kei can take advantage of to maintain our relationship then that's a cheap price to pay but I felt like bullying her. Just a bit.

"Then even without my advice, you can overcome this special exam?".

"O-Of course. Who do you think I am?".

"I see. Then there's nothing to fear".

"...later, at least analyze my situation to see if there's any danger or not, ok?".

Perhaps she felt anxious at that, since Kei said that to me.

"For now, let's hear it starting from the partitioning of the girls' groups".

"Ahh, before we talk about that there's something that's been bugging me".

"Let's keep it brief".

If the conversation between the two of us takes too long, there may be students who'd grow suspicious.

"It's something pretty important.....or more like, what's going on with that Ryuuen guy?".

"Are you concerned?".

"I mean, yeah. It's become a topic even among the girls. Why that guy stopped being the leader but it doesn't look like anybody knows the truth though".

"Being as meek as a lamb, that expression doesn't quite fit Ryuuen but right now it looks like he's acting quite mature".

"Does that mean your chastisement worked?".

"Chastisement, eh?".

Behind Kei's tough words lies her vulnerable side, occasionally showing itself. Her curiosity about him probably stems from her anxiety which itself resulted from the fact that Ryuuen's seen her at her weakest.

"Don't worry about Ryuuen. He won't act carelessly. At the very least, I can say that he won't do anything to Kei from now on".

I said so to reassure her. However, I didn't get a response from Kei.

I had every intention of being cautious, so perhaps it's because someone came? That's what I had assumed but that doesn't seem to be the case. I immediately grasped the situation.

".....sorry, that was nothing".

She tried to deceive me with that.

"That didn't seem like nothing, Kei".

"I-I'm telling you it's nothing".

"Is that true, Kei?".

".....hold it right there. You're doing it on purpose!".

She didn't turn around, but she said so threateningly.

Maybe I bullied her a tad bit too much.

"Ahh, mou. Really, I shouldn't have given you permission to call me by my first name.......".

"You're the one who called me out here in the first place though".

"Yeah. That can't be helped".

More importantly, if we're done talking about Ryuuen then I'd like to move onto business. Although we're blending in with the hustle and bustle, if someone familiar with us happens to stumble upon this scene, they'd grow suspicious of the relationship between us.

"For the record, I've gathered as much information as I possibly could...can I talk about it?".

"Yeah".

"Just so you know, I couldn't get information on every single group like you wanted me to".

"I know. I'm not expecting all that from you".

"That's a really irritating way of saying it. Even someone like you wouldn't know which group everyone belongs to, right?".

"Maybe. I wonder".

".....what, surely you aren't saying you've memorized all of that, are you?".

"I never said that".

"What group does Class B's Shibata-kun belong to?".

"A Class B-focused group led by Kanzaki".

"What about Class A's Tsukasaki-kun?".

"He's also like that. He belongs to a Class A-focused group established by a student named Matoba".

"Th-Then what about Suzuki-kun?".

"The person who goes by that name was assigned to a different small group".

"So you HAVE memorized it all!".

"Just the people whose names I know. But if I can see their faces, I can tell which group which student belongs to".

The one thing I must thank this special exam for is that it made me decide to memorize the names of all 1st year students. By the time this exam's over, I'm sure I'll be able to match each name with a face with near 100% accuracy.

As long as I haven't overlooked anyone or misunderstood anything, that is.

"Haa....what exactly did you have to do to get such a good memory? Are you perhaps the four-eyed nerd-kun type?".

Unfortunately, I don't quite get what Kei is saying.

"More importantly, let's get down to business. What's going on with Sakayanagi and Kamuro's group?".

"The two of them are in the same group composed of three classes with nine from Class A. Class A's the first to assemble, you see".

I received such an explanation from Kei. Just like the Class A boys, they also went with the same strategy of assembling right off the bat, huh? But they settled for nine rather than twelve, eh?

"A three class composite means that someone's been left out. Or perhaps Sakayanagi did not let them join?".

"They didn't accept anyone from Class B in so they were rejected from the very start. They said something about Ichinose-san not being trustworthy and what not. Of course, the one who said that was Kamuro-san instead of Sakayanagi-san though".

"Not trustworthy, huh?".

"I mean, any student from another class isn't trustworthy by default but Ichinose-san's the only one called out by name that way. But isn't that strange? I've heard how popular she is".

If we have to name just one 1st year student from another class who's trustworthy then without a doubt I would have named Ichinose too. Of course, if it's the other classes doing the naming then there'd be quite a lot of students naming Kushida. Anyway, Ichinose should be either number one or two when it comes to being the most trustworthy student in our school year. However, the reward will be smaller if the group is made up of the minimum number of people from three classes.

A strategy where there's no total victory. But at the same time also a strategy where there's no total defeat.

"Unfair, isn't it? Class A should've just looked after themselves. They were very bullish during group formation".

"I suppose so".

A solid and safe strategy. No doubt about it, Sakayanagi must have been the one who drafted this plan. It's surprising that someone as aggressive as her would choose to adopt a defensive strategy like this.

"So? What should I do next? Should I try something?".

"Tricks won't really fly in this special exam. But there are a few people I'd like you to keep an eye on".

I told her that and named several people who are likely to become the key players.

"Hnn, sounds pretty tough but I'll give it a try".

Obediently following the orders issued to her. That's Kei's strong point.

"But what's up with this exam? Are stuff like manners and morals really that necessary?".

"I wonder. If I have to put this in terms of a story, then it might be something of a MacGuffin".

"Ehh? Maguga------".

"I'm not talking about a mug cup, you know".

"I-I knew that. So? What's this all about?".

She didn't seem like she had the faintest idea.

"It's an important 'something' for the characters but it's not something vital for the story itself. That's what it means".

"I didn't get any of that. I know Kiyotaka's smart so explain that in layman's terms already".

"What I'm saying is that while things like manners and morals may be necessary, they aren't important in and of themselves".

The time allocated for dinner is almost over and students are beginning to scatter.

"But this exam---might get a little stormy".

"Stormy.....what do you mean? Does that mean if things go the way Kiyotaka predicted, something terrible's going to happen?".

"Relax. At the very least I can say no harm will come to you".

This time around, the storm won't be hitting the 1st years. I grabbed my tray and stood up.

"If I need you again, I'll let you know".

"Roger".

After our little back-and-forth, I decided to returned to the shared room.

3

It's about the time when I entered the third large public bath on the night of the third day.

Inside the large bath, there were a couple of boys huddled around a corner.

Yamauchi and Ike, and not only them but also some students from Class B such as Shibata were there.

I ended up exchanging glances with Kanzaki, who coincidentally entered the bath at the same time I did.

"This seems like an unusual gathering".

Kanzaki too, looks at that group in surprise.

"Seems like it".

"What about your group? Any troubles in particular?".

"I don't know, I don't think I can say it's going swimmingly".

As I answered frankly, Kanzaki appeared to have been convinced of that without a hint of surprise.

"If you only have a few people in it and all four classes aren't evenly represented it tends to be like that".

"I wouldn't mind it if it's just that".

"I heard about it from Moriyama and the others. Seems like you have your hands full with Kouenji".

I suppose something like that would obviously be assumed.

"He is contributing as a classmate but I can't rein him in at all".

"Speaking of reining in...did you hear about Ryuuen?".

"No, I haven't heard anything about him".

It's been three days now since Akito got drafted into Ryuuen's group. I do see him during bath time and toilet breaks as well as during meals but we just keep missing each other.

"If he's scheming something there should be a few rumors popping up but I haven't heard any reports at all".

Since Kanzaki, who's the sub-leader of Class B, is saying that then that must be the case.

From my point of view, considering I'm aware of the whole story, there's no way Ryuuen would do anything but the suspicion cast on him by his surroundings may have finally subsided.

However, for the time being, they won't be taking their eyes off him.

Because you could predict that there's a high possibility he'll spring some sort of trap at the end of the actual exam.

"If there's anything troubling you, please feel free to consult me. I'd like to maintain good relations with Class C too. Of course, Ichinose feels that way too".

"That's something to be grateful for".

"Ichinose seems to have a high opinion of Horikita. It's of her honesty rather than her talent though".

"Honesty...eh?".

If you ask whether or not Horikita has a straightforward personality then to be honest, I can't bring myself to call her an honest one.

However, I think what Kanzaki refers to as 'honesty' and what I consider to be 'honesty' have different meanings altogether.

Making sure to keep your promises, that sort of integrity is probably what he's referring to.

You can't count on Sakayanagi or Ryuuen in that regard after all.

"Hey, Kanzaki! Over here, over here!".

Shibata spotted Kanzaki standing around near the entrance and talking to me and so he waved his hand.

"Ayanokouji~you come join us too~".

And around the same time, Yamauchi caught me too and beckoned me over.

Since the mood here won't allow me to decline him, I approached.

"What's the matter?".

Kanzaki asks Shibata.

"No man, the thing is, I'm having fun with Yamauchi and the others over something strange".

"Something strange?".

"We're talking about whose got the biggest one in our school year".

"One? By that you mean?".

"Isn't that obvious? This, this".

Shibata laughed as he pointed at the center of the towel covering his groin.

".....I see, you're having fun".

Saying that, Kanzaki exasperatedly sighed at the childish competition Shibata's engaged in.

"No, I think it's childish too you know? But you see, this is unexpectedly fun".

Both Kanzaki and I failed to see what exactly is so fun about it. We exchanged glances and decided to keep our distance considering the timing.

When Shibata and the others continued their discourse, Kanzaki left.

After a slight delay, I too, made a move to leave. However---

"Who's the alpha for now?".

Perhaps he's overheard their conversation, as Sudou showed up with a calm and composed attitude.

He grabbed ahold of my shoulders and as such, I could no longer escape.

"...I have no idea".

I dodged the question.

While the majority of students had towels covering their groins, he boldly showed himself off.

"Ohh...as expected of Sudou".

I could see Shibata hold his breath.

"The current alpha is Class D's Kaneda".

"Kaneda? That four eyes?".

Move over, as though saying that to Shibata, Sudou brushes him aside and joins up with Yamauchi and the others.

Kaneda doesn't appear to have any intention of joining in the competition and seemed uncomfortable.

"So you came, Ken! You're the only reliable one here!".

"Leave it to me".

Sudou participates as Class C's representative. Sudou confronts Kaneda, who's left bewildered from having been dragged into this fight.

"So you wear your glasses even inside the bath huh?".

"If I don't, I can't see well enough to walk...".

"That so?".

Of course it's not like this is an act of violence at all. It's just them standing next to each other.

Victory and defeat are almost always decided in an instant.

"Alright!".

Sudou boisterously makes a guts pose in the bath. His voice echoed throughout it. At last this game is over, is the expression Kaneda had as he fled.

I can only say that it's truly nothing short of misfortune that he got dragged into it.

"Then that means I'm the alpha".

There probably aren't that many students who would challenge Sudou after knowing of his strength.

This meaningless competition ends with this, is what I thought but....

"Alpha? Don't make me laugh, Sudou".

Yahiko came over to the boisterously laughing Sudou.

However, Sudou only took one glance at Yahiko's naked body before ignoring him. Since Yahiko did not cover up his front, the contest ended without a fight.

"You're no match for me".

"That may be so....but I'm not your opponent here".

"It doesn't matter who my opponent is. The alpha is Class D's---".

"No, Ken. We're Class C, Class C".

"...that's right. Class C's Sudou Ken-sama is the alpha here!".

"You're just a cut above the bottom. Don't think you can beat Class A's Katsuragi-san!".

Apparently it's not Yahiko he'll be fighting but rather, the man Yahiko admires so much: Katsuragi.

Said Katsuragi said on a chair and was in the process of reaching for the shampoo to wash his head with.

I was curious about which part exactly he's going to apply the shampoo to but this isn't the place to ask that.

"Stop it, Yahiko. I have no interest in this pointless contest".

"I can't allow that. This is about a man's pride, no, we have to win since it's Class A's dignity on the line here!".

"This is a pointless contest...".

"That's not really true, is it Katsuragi?".

Hashimoto approaches. Yahiko gave a blatant display of disgust towards him.

"Like Yahiko said, Class A's pride is on the line. That thing of yours is pretty much the only thing that can go against Sudou's, isn't that right?".

Hashimoto personally checked out what he referred to as Katsuragi's thing.

And he probably estimated that it had a chance of winning as he boldly laughed and embraced the possibility of a victory.

On the other hand, Katsuragi made no move to stand up.

"Bring it on, Katsuragi".

Katsuragi remained calm in response to Sudou's provocations. However, everyone else got pumped up at that.

They egged Katsuragi on to go against Sudou.

"Honestly. The way things are now I won't be able to wash my head in peace".

That means he really had been intending on applying the shampoo to his head.

"The contest will only last a moment, Katsuragi".

"...have it your way".

Having judged that the optimal solution would be to accept the challenge, he slowly got up.

Everyone gave a sigh of admiration for that large frame of his. And so the two mighty rivals confronted each other.

"T-This is-----!?".

Yamauchi, who went over to act as the judge, crouched down.

He checked both their assets left and right but it appears the difference between the two is an imperceptible one.

While waiting for the judgement to be delivered, Sudou gave his praise.

"Not bad, Katsuragi. You've convinced me that there's a reason why you're Class A's trump card".

"This is stupid.....".

"The judgement is---".

Yamauchi stood up.

"A draw!".

In a contest where a tie is an unlikely outcome, the judge ruled it as exactly that.

Ike, Shibata and the others crowded around the judge to object. However, it would appear that Yamauchi's judgement is an accurate one as they were also unable to decide whose is bigger.

"...is this good enough?".

Fed up with being put on display, Katsuragi forcibly returned to his original position.

"I don't want to acknowledge this but we'll both share 1st place for now then".

I doubt anyone would object to that but things won't wrap up with this.

"I saw your duel go down. How naive".

The one who said that was Class D's Ishizaki.

"Hah. Don't make me laugh, Ishizaki. You're no match for me".

Sudou laughs as though saying it's not even a contest.

Ishizaki is pretty much on the same level as Yahiko.

"I'm not your opponent".

"What?".

"You fool! We of Class D possess the ultimate trump card!".

".....it can't be, Ryuuen?".

"No!".

Ishizaki boisterously shouts the name of that man.

"Albert, it's your turn!".

The moment he called out that name, the boys around him all went into uproar.

Despite everyone having thought of him at least once, they had all left Albert out of the equation. Now that unspoken rule has been broken.

"Hey, that's cheating!".

Even Sudou, who acted like an alpha, failed to conceal his discomposure.

"Come on. If it's a competition to determine who's number one in our school year then even Albert's a friend!".

Well, considering the flow of the conversation thus far, Ishizaki's assertion certainly isn't wrong.

However, no one can deny the fact that a competition that goes beyond countries would put us at a disadvantage.

Japan's professional baseball players are quite high-level but if you take a look at the major leagues, the difference between the two in regards to physical ability couldn't be more obvious.

They'd probably be stunned by the bodies of the foreigners who possess different physiques and even different genes.

Albert silently shows up.

Sudou and Katsuragi are also blessed with a good physique but they're no match.

Furthermore, despite being in a bath, he's still wearing his sunglasses.

Normally they'd cloud up and you'd be unable to see anything but perhaps he's applied an anti-fogging gel to it, since Albert moves without a hint of hesitation.

"Kuu, he's huge.....".

Albert had a bath towel wrapped around his waist.

Apparently Sudou's mutters were about his physique. I understand it now that there's a direct contrast.

The difference between them is like the difference between a middle school student and a college student.

And as such, the difference between their 'weapons' should also be the same.

Or perhaps even if it's only by a little, all Sudou could do was to pray that the weapon isn't a big one.

"Bring it on!".

Showing no fear, Sudou steps forward.

As an alpha, he cannot afford to flee.

Albert simply remained silent. And then intimidatingly enough, he had Ishizaki take care of disrobing him.

The veil that had been parted. Everyone, not just the alpha Sudou, looked on.

Now then, will a weapon worthy of a last boss show itself? Or perhaps it'll be a completely unexpected outcome where it's a surprisingly small one?

Right now, a clash of the sexes has begun.

"Go---Albert!".

Ishizaki probably doesn't know either. Albert's power is finally unveiled at last.

"T-This is---!?".

First appearing before the eyes of the alpha, the true, hidden form of Albert.

And silence fell upon us.

"I---lost".

A single sentence from the alpha, Sudou.

He collapsed onto his knees and felt an overwhelming sense of loss.

Unlike the contest he had with Katsuragi, there was no need for a judge this time.

The difference between them was just that large.

"Is this Albert's...the last boss's power?".

Yamauchi, Shibata and the others also lost all their will to fight and they collapsed just like Sudou did.

There's no longer a challenger capable of winning.

The currents of despair started to blow in.

Albert slowly bent his large frame and picked up the towel and then walked off just like that.

And just like how Sudou did, the other boys also fell to their knees.

Having acknowledged their loss, just as everyone was on the verge of giving up.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. It appears you lot are just like Children amusing themselves".

In an instant, cutting through the melancholy, was Kouenji's voice.

It seems he's been observing the fight from inside the bathtub.

"What the hell, Kouenji? Aren't you frustrated too!? Look at this pathetic state Sudou's in now!".

Yamauchi screamed. Because of his anguish, Sudou was still incapable of standing back up.

"I know. But Red Hair-kun fought well in his own way".

"The hell, you bastard. Are you trying to say you can go against Albert?".

It was a question from Sudou, who now had lifeless eyes.

But Kouenji's usual attitude did not change.

"I am, at all times, a perfect existence. Even as a man, I possess the ultimate body".

"Don't dodge the question. Tell me in detail".

Kouenji swiped his hair back without even getting out of the bathtub.

"There's no need for a fight. It's precisely because I know there's nobody better than me that there's no need to shed blood over such pointless matters".

"You say that, but couldn't it not be the case?".

Yamauchi tried poking him.

However, Kouenji's attitude did not undergo even a single change.

"You are truly a fool. However, I suppose it is fun playing along with you lot occasionally".

It appears he intends to accept the challenge as Kouenji once again swiped his hair back.

"Now then, shall I assume Albert-kun to be my opponent in this competition?".

Why did he hold his rod?

"No, it's Katsuragi-san!".

Yahiko shouts out.

"No, I have nothing to do with this Yahiko.....".

"There's no way Kouenji can win if he goes against Albert! As the representative of the Japanese people I beg you Katsuragi-san, please defeat him!".

After all, Yahiko and Kouenji are in the same group as well so he must have his own thoughts about the man.

Even though he had been in the bath too, there's no way Kouenji should know about Sudou and the others' assets in detail.

If it's Katsuragi, who equalled Sudou, there's still a good chance that he'd win.

".....honestly...just this once ok?".

Exasperatedly, the representative of the Japanese people stood up. His thing swayed from left to right.

At that moment, the boys began looking at it as though it were something divine.

"A-As I thought, he's huge. He can't go against Albert but if it's Kouenji then---".

"Fufufu. I see. So you didn't end up as the alpha once for nothing, is what it means then".

"Please wrap it up quickly".

"However, you are no match for me".

After looking at that, Kouenji did not even try to get up from the bathtub.

"Oi, oi. You aren't scared, are you Kouenji? Are you just for show, now hiding in that bathtub?".

Ishizaki also tried egging him on.

"I'm not so foolish as to point my blade at someone who's no match for me".

"Heh. Then we'll break your spirit until there's nothing left to show of it. Right, Albert!?".

The foreign representative, the man known as Albert, also moved to stand next to Katsuragi.

And when he did, a phenomenon occurred where even Katsuragi's seemed small in comparison.

Seeing that, for the first time, a dramatic change in Kouenji's expression occurred.

"Bravo".

Pan! He claps his hands.

"I see, I see. As expected of the world's representative, it looks like you aren't all talk after all".

"Do you get it know, Kouenji? How much of a clown you've been, I mean".

"Enough is enough for me".

Having finished washing his body, Katsuragi entered a bathtub as though keeping his distance from Kouenji.

Nobody's interested in Katsuragi anymore since they were all engrossed in the Kouenji vs. Albert fight.

"Normally my policy is to not show it to men. But this is a one-time service".

Kouenji then took the towel beside him in hand, wrapped it around his waist as though to hide his weapon and stood up.

And then he slowly got out of the bathtub.

"Y-You're finally up to the challenge, Kouenji?".

The confrontation took place between the ultimate eccentric and the alpha.

"The outcome is something I can tell from the start though. I'll have everyone here be living witnesses".

Kouenji made a pose while removing the towel veiling him.

In that instant, a dazzling light filled my eyes.

A sword covered by the blonde mane of a lion.

No, it's too big to be called a sword.

I could hear Albert whisper softly beside me.

『Oh my God』

"And with this I have proved once and for all that my existence is a perfect one".

The boys who were used as living witnesses could not even make a sound.

"Are you really even human?".

Before the overwhelming power that goes beyond nationality, all Sudou could do was offer up those words.

If Sudou and Katsuragi are rifles and Albert is a bazooka. Then Kouenji would be a tank.

Nobody could go against that overwhelming firepower.

Its colossal size, armor and firepower would knock anyone over.

It's very likely that no one capable of stopping Kouenji would be showing up now.

As for why, that's because in this large bath there's not another student capable of beating Albert.

It was when everyone was on the verge of admitting that.

"Kuku. Hold it right there, Kouenji".

A voice called out. It came from the bathtub that Kouenji had been in until a while ago.

"R-Ryuuen.....".

Someone recognized him.

He's the man who was keeping himself warm in the jetted tub near Kouenji. The former leader of Class D, Ryuuen Kakeru.

The man who must have been observing Albert and Kouenji's fight had lively eyes.

"Surely you aren't saying you're a match for me?".

"No. Not even I can beat that thing of yours. However, there may be someone here who could put up a good fight you know?".

He made a statement that hinted at something and all at once, the students looked around.

However, there's no way such a person could possibly exist.

And then I realized.

The fact that right now, Ryuuen has caught me in his trap.

"Really? Who might that be?".

Perhaps that also roused Kouenji's interest somewhat, as he asks that of Ryuuen.

"No idea. But if I'm not mistaken then there's still one more person here who's covering himself up with a towel and hiding his true strength".

Leaving behind that bomb I really wish he hadn't planted, Ryuuen entered the bath and turned his back.

Fortunately enough, there were only a few people listening to what Ryuuen had to say, but their gazes intensified.

In all likelihood I felt like it's not just the men in the bath but people from all around Japan who happen to be paying attention.

"No way, a guy like you? Come on, no way".

Saying that, Yahiko approached and glared at me.

".....are you really taking his words at face value?".

"I have no intention of doing that...it's just, I'm curious about how you alone kept hiding yourself".

"Curious or not, I had no intention of joining in from the start".

I declined to join in while taking a step back.

"That may be so but please let me check, just in case".

Yamauchi and Yahiko approached me as though flanking me.

At that very moment, I saw Ryuuen laughing boldly.

"I will make you taste defeat".

Was what his gaze and smile conveyed.

As I had feared....

Ryuuen, who had no way of knowing what mine looked like, deliberately instigated this.

Having me deal with Kouenji, he seems intent on making me 'lose' one way or another.

A very Ryuuen-like, malicious way of fighting.

I could go all out and escape the bath but that would be the equivalent of rejecting bath time at the outdoor school. Sooner or later, this veil would be parted.

If there's still a way left to save myself it would be to take down every single student approaching me.

But that can no longer be considered a viable strategy.

Either way, I've suffered something similar to a defeat.

In other words, there aren't any means left for me to avoid this incomprehensible situation with anymore.

After seeing how I didn't budge, Kouenji laughed.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. There's nothing to be ashamed of Ayanokouji Boy. Even if you happen to be wearing a protector, it's something a lot of Japanese boys do. It's a precious something to protect you".

"You don't have much protection yourself, Kouenji".

"Because I already possess overwhelming strength, you see. I have no need of armor".

No, there should still be a way for me to escape.

Think, I have to find it, a means of escape-----

"You guys do the chant, the chant".

Despite having dropped out already, Ryuuen eggs the students on from inside the bath.

He's set a trap, crushing my strategy and making sure that I can no longer escape.

"Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!".

It began to rise all around me, the chant the boys let loose all at once.

It didn't matter to the boys who instigated it. I was completely boxed in by Ryuuen and all the other boys.

I came here to replenish myself after a tiring day.

"...I get it".

I cannot deny the fact that sometimes you've just got to fight.

I have no choice but to admit that now is one of those times.

As a man with a weapon, if I must fight, then I should fight.

The important thing here isn't winning or losing nor is it pride.

"Have it your way".

"Do you want me to assist in your suicide, Ayanokouji?".

Sudou approached me.

I stopped them with my hands.

I was buffeted by those relentless chants and so I removed the towel around my waist myself-----

The ongoing chant slowly faded away.

And almost as though the noise from earlier never existed, a silence fell upon us.

"Y-You've got to be kidding me, that Ayanokouji guy...".

"I don't believe it....".

As though they were whispering, someone somewhere talked about me.

"Well, well, I'm honestly impressed Ayanokouji Boy. To think that there's a Japanese person capable of fighting evenly against me. If you ask me, a few millimeters difference may as well be nonexistent".

"...it's almost like two T-Rexes having a showdown....".

The boys stared at us in admiration from inside the bath.

"It's almost like you lot have become living witnesses to the making of history".

Kouenji tossed the towel onto his shoulder, laughing as he faced everyone.

"However strictly speaking, I win. If you're using a T-Rex as an example then the difference lies in the number of prey we've eaten. In other words, the difference between us lies in our experience".

There's no longer even a need to tell us the details, Kouenji then plopped himself back into the bath.

4

In the middle of the night, I lay on the bed of our shared room. It's 1 o'clock in the morning, already way past lights out. Obviously that means everyone's sound asleep. There's a reason why I'm awake at a time like this when I should be sleeping in preparation for what's coming tomorrow. That reason lies in the small piece of paper placed under my pillow. The number '25' is written on it.

It's precisely because it's so simple that it doesn't leave much to the imagination. It's a memo signalling that the time is now 25:00. I haven't the faintest clue who left it here but the reason I'm awake now is to find out.

If this is just a prank or something that carries an entirely different meaning, then that'll be the end of that. Then I'll be able to use this time to relax and think about where the true essence of this special exam lies.

I'm slowly beginning to see the bigger picture behind the contents of this special exam. Of course, since we didn't exactly get a detailed explanation on how the scoring works this is going to involve some guesswork but there are several things that this special exam almost certainly entails.

'Zen'.

From the way they were acting prior to Zazen, it appears even things like our postures during Zazen are being scored. Things like inappropriate behavior or being hit with a Zen stick are all likely causes for a demerit.

'Long-distance relay race'.

This one's probably going to have a simple evaluation system based on order and time.

'Speech'.

Each person in each large group must give a speech individually. The scoring criteria has already been disclosed.

It's the following four: 'Volume', 'Posture', 'Subject' and 'Communicativeness'.

'Written exam'.

I expect this to be an exam focusing mainly on the subject of morals. Just like your average run-of-the-mill exam, this one should also be determined by how good or how bad your marks are.

There are also other things to consider such as 'cleaning' and 'cooking meals' but I can't draw conclusions on them just yet. Problems that arise within a tardy group are beyond the jurisdiction of the exam but depending on the context, they may also be part of what's being assessed.

Perhaps a lot of students are fretting over how to overcome this multi-front exam. A necessary strategy one can only see after understanding the true essence of it.

To properly unite the group, cover for one another and secure a high average score. In other words, the simple approach. It looks easy yet with considerably difficult obstacles in its way. That much can be gleaned from seeing the formation of the groups. It's exceedingly difficult to completely cooperate with students who you would normally have an antagonistic relationship with.

It would be a strategy that Horikita and Hirata from our class, or Ichinose and Katsuragi from the other classes would have chosen. Being influential in one's group and possessing leadership skills makes all the difference.

Picking members for your group is, of course, important. But at this stage, it's almost impossible to determine which students are capable of performing well in an exam like this.

Keisei, who excels academically, struggled with five minutes and two sets of Zazen on the very first day and there were students who were unable to even cross their legs.

At this stage, you can't use academic or athletic excellence to measure anything and going forward it's going to be students with the most adaptability who stand out.

And there are definitely more than a few students who opted to go with other strategies. I could also tell from the moment they explained the rules of this exam that even the school had a hard time preparing this unorthodox exam.

This has been the case since our first special exam on that uninhabited island but in each case there's always been an exploitable loophole in the rules.

Because there's always a blind spot, like when Horikita and Ibuki fought on the uninhabited island despite any sort of violence being prohibited. Of course, if the foul play is exposed then the consequences are also extreme. Since immediate expulsion is on the table, the majority of students won't actually make their move. In the first place, it's not like committing foul play is a surefire way to win. To take your shot with the few loopholes and blind spots you have or not. You would need to overcome that difficult obstacle.

I've executed various strategies in all the special exams so far. On the uninhabited island, I had Horikita retire and switched leaders. On the cruise, I pulled off the cell phone trick. I made a bold move during the sports festival and during Paper Shuffle, I shut Kushida down.

But this time around, I decided early on to not do anything. I would gather information and only play the role of the observer. That is because I've deemed this a necessary move to make if I am to fade out and graduate as an ordinary student.

Even if it means Class C will suffer a massive loss now, I still won't do anything. Partly because I want to show Sakayanagi and Nagumo, who have both taken a certain amount of interest in me, that I have no intention of fighting. I'm skeptical about the effectiveness of such a move though.

That way, since I am carefully observing, the older Horikita would have no grounds to blame me on either.

However, if there's a measure I can take, that would be defense. If there's a student who's out to expel me, then it's only natural that I react in self-defense. It's already past 25:00. Looks like nothing out of the ordinary's happened. If so, I should sleep. But just as I thought that, the door that connects this room to the corridor outside slightly cracked open and a bit of light streamed in.

It's Morse code. Utilizing blinking lights as a form of communication. In the middle of the night at the training camp, the corridor itself was very dark and so several flashlights had been placed in our room.

In all likelihood, that means I'll have to bring one along with me.

I understood that this is a signal calling me out. Light makes no sound. I silently stood up. Our room doesn't have a toilet. The act of going to the toilet in the middle of the night in itself is not a suspicious one.

5

I left the room. The corridor is covered in darkness but I could hear faint footsteps. I followed. The person holding the light turned out to be Horikita Manabu.

"To think you'd be the one to initiate contact. Isn't it a bit conspicuous?".

In order to place a memo on my bed like that, he'd have to know where I sleep. In that case, there's only one person that comes to mind. It's either Ishikura or Tsunoda, the 3rd years Nagumo brought with him to play cards with us on the very first day.

If he asks either one of them, he'd know which bed I'm using.

"There's no shortage of students meeting secretly at night like this. Because at least two or three strategies are being implemented for this special exam after all".

1st years, 2nd years and 3rd years are all using what knowledge they possess for the sake of winning. But even so, there's no way people who'd meet the way we're meeting now would be up to any good.

"Do you know why I called you out at this time?".

"Because Nagumo's up to something. That's the only reason I can think of".

"It's exactly that. I called you out here because I thought you might know something about that since you're in the same large group he is. Besides, I wanted to answer that mail you sent me on the bus".

"Let me say this beforehand. You're off the mark. There are no signs of Nagumo being up to anything".

There's a number of things to worry about in that regard but I lied and told him I have yet to grasp anything. Nagumo had challenged the older Horikita. As long as that challenge took place in front of a great number of people, losing this easily would set a bad example for the 2nd years and in the future, he'll be doubted by both his seniors and juniors. If you're going to fight, you should do it only after making absolutely sure of your victory. But I can't sense that here. Since the older Horikita had instructed him to fight fair-and-square, I had expected him to put in effort during our lessons and manage us strictly but there's no sign of that happening either.

That must have worried Horikita Manabu. If that's not the case, he wouldn't have taken the risk of calling me out here.

"Then you're saying Nagumo is going to take the actual exam without having tried anything?".

"I don't know. I don't think it's possible to accomplish much without dragging a third party in though".

Even if one doesn't talk or doze off during class, even if they're never late and even if they make sure to stay healthy it's not like that would make their test scores go up dramatically.

At best, they would only act to ensure one doesn't get any demerits.

"Currently, I've assessed that our large group is the more united one".

The older Horikita calmly made his analysis. Certainly, he's got the Class A-focused group from the 1st years as well. If they take the exam in this state, their chances of winning are extremely high.

That is precisely why he's worried about Nagumo, who has yet to make a move.

"What are the chances of him breaking his promise? No matter what form it takes, he may want to leave a mark on you".

"Nagumo certainly doesn't show any mercy to those who go against him. And he's also used underhanded methods in a manner similar to Ryuuen more than a few times. And that's the cause of the 2nd years' abnormally high dropout rate. However, he has never once broken a promise he's given. Not even once".

"So you're saying he's going to keep his word about not involving a third party in this?".

"That's right".

As far as that's concerned, the older Horikita nodded without any hesitation at all. It's probably one of those things he knows precisely because they've been in the student council together for two years now. After having heard those words of absolute certainty, I felt doubt at first. But then I arrived at the answer to that. That's something that applies to the older Horikita before me right now and probably all the 2nd and 3rd year students as well. I may be able to offer the older Horikita another piece of advice here.

However, it might not make that much sense. Because he's already determined that he'll only be able to ward off attacks by taking the words of his enemy at face value.

"Looks like this has been a waste of time".

Turning his back on me, the older Horikita began walking back to his room.

"It's about that thing you've been wanting to know but.....the student council can exert an influence on the special exams. Things like modifying the rules and penalties. Because they're supposed to represent the students' point of view and their opinions. But it's not like they can do whatever they want".

"I see".

After answering my question, the older Horikita left.

"He might lose".

Before I realized it, I ended up muttering that. No, I suppose 'lose' isn't the best way to put it. The older Horikita won't make any mistakes. He'll properly manage his group and overcome this. He won't slip up.

It's just.....even so, it's clear that this alone isn't all there is to it.

Starting with this exam that kicked off the 3rd semester, a major change might be at hand.