Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Ibuki-san crouched, and started digging in the ground using both hands.

"Ah, agh..."

Wracked by intense dizziness and nausea, I leaned my back against a nearby tree.

"Your condition has gotten a lot worse, hasn't it?"

Ibuki-san turned to look at me. However, she quickly returned to work.

"Ah... Ah... Ugh..."

Although I was trying to manage my breathing, I couldn't anymore. My jersey, soaked from the downpour, leached my body heat away. I'd tried to resist wanting to lie down and rest, but I could no longer hold my head up.

As I thought about my physical strength, I had no choice but to fight.

"Ibuki-san, if you don't give it up peacefully, I'll have to use force."

"Huh? Pahahahahaha!"

Kaneda-kun burst out into laughter, and Ibuki-san stopped digging.

"Do you realize your situation? You can barely stand. There's two of us."

"That doesn't matter."

"I see..."

Ibuki-san dropped her bag to the ground and outstretched her arm. Kaneda-kun also set his bag down.

Ibuki-san stared into my eyes, and made a provocative beckoning motion with her hand. She was mocking me.

"Hurry up. I don't have all night."

I gritted my teeth in frustration, and slowly limped over to the two of them.

As soon as I stepped into striking range, Ibuki-san's slender leg went right toward my face. What little alertness I had left saved me. I flew backwards, avoiding her kick. Mud splashed me, and I struck a defensive posture with both arms raised.

"Hmm, she's not too bad, Kaneda."

"Let's just get this done with quickly. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

"An act of violence means immediate disqualification..."

"Someone might see us here, you mean? Weren't you willing to use violence, too?"

While I was wondering why she had such a sly grin on her face, they both suddenly dashed at me.

Kaneda-kun's sloppily thrown fist sought out my face, and I used what little energy I had left to bat it out of the way. If he was a trained fighter, I would've lost then and there.

Ibuki-san's leg came up in my peripheral, barely visible in the dark forest. I rolled, escaping from her and putting some distance between us. I desperately tried to raise myself out of the mud. That was the first time I was really thankful that I practiced martial arts.

"Oh? You can really move, surprisingly. You practice or something?"

Ibuki-san, without panicking whatsoever, seemed genuinely impressed as she sized me up. She'd perceived my knowledge of martial arts, and probably wasn't an average practitioner herself. How could I respond without telling her that I was in the worst condition?

"I've...been nothing but a complete and utter failure in this test."

I hadn't contributed a single thing to Class D. If anything, I was probably a hindrance. The rest of them, all trying their hardest, were held back because of my poor physical condition. I wished I'd told them from the start. I could have requested that another person become the leader since I wasn't feeling well. It would have been fine had I just refused. But my pride got the better of me, which was unforgivable.

I mocked people. I hated useless things, labelling them incompetent, while I was useless myself. Ha ha... I laughed dryly in my mind. Was I really still making excuses for myself?

"Why... did you steal... the key cards? What is it all for...?"

The two of them readied themselves again, and shortened the distance between us in an instant. This time, they came at me together.

Ibuki-san feinted a strike with her right arm, but actually went for a high, fast kick. I threw myself out of the way, but was immediately grappled my Kaneda-kun.

He hadn't been trying to attack me at all just now – no, he was only trying to capture me and restrict my movements.

This was bad. If I got hit, I would undoubtedly be knocked unconscious. I couldn't allow myself to fail here. I had to be strong.

My body and mind were wracked by intense cold and nausea. I was barely able to stand.

"You tried really hard. I'll respect that, I guess."

Ibuki-san approached me with a grin on her features.

I struggled desperately to escape the grasp of Kaneda-kun, but it was futile. In my state of immense weakness, I could do nothing against the seemingly immovable strength of a boy.

"You know... it's against the rules... to steal the key card..." I muttered.

"So what? There's no evidence that I used violence against you. And the school will never find they key cards, so we won't endure any penalties."

Ibuki-san had the right read of the situation. Nothing could conclusively make the school perceive this as it really was. Even if I was the only one who got hurt, Ibuki-san and Kaneda-kun could say whatever they liked to get out of it. Even if I complained, we'd all be punished. And Class E had points to lose.

"I'm... going to get the... the... key card back. It'll be evidence."

"Enough is enough."

Ibuki-san readied herself in front of me, while Kaneda-kun still firmly held me from behind by the arms. Any resistance I tried was fruitless. My body was too weak to do anything.

"You fought pretty well, for a girl in such a weak state. But this is your limit."

With that, Ibuki-san raised her fist and shot it out mercilessly at my face. It struck me brutally in the cheek, and pushed all the way through, spinning my face to the side.

My mind splintered, the singular blow completely destroyed my perception of reality. My field of vision twisted so much that I couldn't tell what was the ground and what was the sky.

My eyelids seemed to weight tons, and I lost the ability to control my body to any degree.

My senses dulled, and I fell to the ground with a thud as the mud splash onto my face. What a humiliating and pathetic defeat.

The last thing I recognised before everything went black was the mocking sound of a bursting firework rocket.

Ibuki's POV

I let out a deep breath as I stood over the unconscious Horikita, who had fallen to the ground after being released by Kaneda-kun.

It had been a long time since I'd seen such a skilled opponent. If it was one on one, and if she was in better health, the match could've gone either way. She really was that strong.

I resumed my work, with the assistance of Kaneda-kun, and we soon dug up the flashlight and wireless transceiver wrapped in vinyl. I would have rather gotten by without using them if I could, though.

I reported our current location to the man who'd been waiting to hear about our whereabouts and sat down to rest in silence. I didn't bother talking to Kaneda-kun, and he didn't seem interested in dialogue either.

About half an hour or so passed before I saw the gleam of a flashlight. It blinked twice, then three times. It was just like Morse code.

I responded with the same signal, using the flashlight that had been near my feet. The guiding light had gotten stronger, as if both lights were resonating with each other. Then I saw an irritating face that I didn't want to see. Ryūen appeared.

"Yo. Excellent work, Ibuki, Kaneda. You did an admirable job."

"Naturally, yes?"

"Naturally? If you hadn't made any mistakes until now. I wouldn't have had to risk coming over here."

"That couldn't be helped. I hadn't planned for the digital camera to break."

If only the digital camera hadn't broken, I would have taken a picture of the key card and that would have been the end of it. I would have had my definitive proof. I wouldn't have even needed to call Ryūen using the transceiver. But instead, I'd had to take a huge risk and steal the card itself.

"It is rather mysterious that both of your cameras broke at the same time, though... But anyway, where are the cards?"

The two of us reached into our respective pockets and presented the two key cards.

"Here,"

Ryūen shined his flashlight on the cards and confirmed the names. 'Horikita Suzune' and 'Chihiro Shiranami' were engraved on the sides.

"So, what now?" Kaneda asked.

"Well, I'm currently waiting for someone else. They shouldn't take long to show themselves."

Oddly enough, he put emphasis on the words 'someone else' as he said that. I didn't even question it, though. Trying to comprehend this man was just stupidity. Such was how Ryūen operated.

"I'm impressed. So you knew?"

A voice rang out from the darkness behind us. We all turned around simultaneously, and a silhouette slowly emerged.

Straight, black hair. A slender figure. Piercing, amethyst eyes. Every first year knew who this boy was. He was almost as enigmatic as Ryūen himself.

"Ah, Lelouch. So it was you? Somehow, I had a feeling." Ryūen grinned as he spoke cryptic words.

Kaneda and I sent each other a look, but didn't say anything.

"That's right. I was the one who set off those fireworks."

"So that's what that guy was on about..." I muttered.

I didn't intend for anyone to hear, but it looked like they all did.

"'That guy?'" Ryūen echoed. "What the hell are you on about, Ibuki?"

"That Ayanokōji. Earlier today, he came to the beach and approached Kaneda and I. He told us that Horikita and Ichinose would be the two holding the key cards, and that we'll know when to make our move. He left after without elaborating."

Ryūen narrowed his eyes upon hearing my explanation.

"Your plan, I assume?"

"Of course. That guy's been going around reclaiming all the spots this whole time, after all. I instructed him last night to drop by Class B and E whenever it was convenient and pass on that message."

I was starting to get really confused. What the hell was going on?

"Wait, wait. Why the hell are you two acting all buddy-buddy all of a sudden? Where is this crap coming from?!"

"Damn, you really are slow, Ibuki." Ryūen laughed.

"Don't you see? It's what's called a 'wordless negotiation.' Ryūen and I understood each other's intentions, and realized that this course of action was beneficial to both our classes."

"Here," Ryūen said, tossing the Class B key card over to Lelouch.

"Chihiro Shiranami, huh? Interesting choice." He said as he read the engraved letters.

"Hold on. Why are we giving him free information now?" Kaneda exclaimed