Ryuen Kakeru's Challenge

With the girls' competition over, the boys' races followed right after. The boys from all six groups plunged into the pool and began competing. Each group's race was filled with speed and excitement. Before long, the winners from all six groups—Kanzaki, Itozawa, Shibata, Sumida, Watanabe, and Yonezu—were facing off in the final.

The six boys stood at the starting edge of the pool, their eyes gleaming with competitiveness. The moment Yasuda-sensei blew his whistle, they shot into the water like arrows and began their fierce race.

Kanzaki stood out in the water. His body traced perfect lines with every stroke, each movement of his arms and legs precise and powerful. His speed and technique gave him the advantage in the race.

I tozawa was just as determined. His Mind-Type Ability let him quickly analyze the currents and his own movements. Though he wasn't as physically strong as the other competitors, his intelligence and strategy kept him near the front.

Shibata was also fast in the water. His Body Ability gave him tremendous propulsion, and he gave it everything he had, hoping to win.

Sumida, Watanabe, and Yonezu also struggled with all their might in the water, putting their speed and endurance on full display.

In the end, Kanzaki crossed the finish line by a narrow margin and won the race. Shibata came right after him, but he couldn't hide his astonishment. He clearly couldn't accept that he'd actually lost to Kanzaki.

"How is that possible? I actually lost to you!" Shibata's voice carried a hint of frustration as he looked at Kanzaki, his eyes gleaming with competitiveness.

Kanzaki, by contrast, remained calm. He knew his victory hadn't come easily. Turning to Shibata, he smiled and said, "You did great, Shibata. There isn't much difference between us. Let's race again next time."

Itozawa and the other competitors congratulated Kanzaki as well. They knew his victory was proof of his skill and technique.

Yasuda-sensei was pleased with the results. "Very good, Kanzaki. You earned that victory. The rest of you did well, too. You all showed what you're capable of."

As swimming class drew to a close, the students dried themselves off and discussed their next class, Ability Theory.

The students from Class B began talking about their next Ability Theory class. They were eagerly curious about what Hoshimiya-sensei would teach them.

"Do you remember those ability cases Hoshimiya-sensei talked about last class? They were so interesting. I wonder what she'll discuss next time." Watanabe sounded eager and curious about the upcoming lesson.

"Yeah, I wonder what new things she'll teach us this time," Amikura added, her voice carrying a hint of anticipation.

Meanwhile, the other students teased Shibata about how Hoshimiya-sensei had coaxed him into standing up during the previous class.

A hint of embarrassment crossed Shibata's face as he tried to defend himself. "Quit laughing at me. If you're so capable, let Hoshimiya-sensei try it on you and see if you can resist."

No one took the bait. The students just burst into laughter, filling the swimming pool with cheer.

"All right, all right. Stop teasing Shibata. Let's think about what we'll learn next class instead." Itozawa cut off their teasing, his voice taking on a serious note as he tried to steer the conversation back to the lesson.

"Exactly. Hoshimiya-sensei always manages to surprise us. I'm really looking forward to it," Ichinose joined in, her eyes shining with a thirst for knowledge.

The students nodded, their laughter fading as they turned their attention to the class with respect and anticipation.

Just then, a commotion at the entrance to the swimming pool caught everyone's attention.

Ryuen Kakeru, Ishizaki, Komiyama, and Kondo swaggered in, with Shiina following behind them helplessly. This time, Shiina wasn't carrying a book.

As soon as he entered, Ryuen Kakeru called out to Yasuda-sensei as if no one else were there. "Yasuda-sensei, I know you went easy on us yesterday, so I sent the other thirty-five to practice some more. You don't mind, do you?"

Yasuda-sensei looked a little surprised. He hadn't expected Ryuen Kakeru to do that, but he had no objection and simply nodded in agreement.

Ryuen Kakeru didn't seem to care about Yasuda-sensei's reaction. He turned and headed toward Itozawa's group.

Seeing the Energy Stone in Kanzaki's hand and how soaked they all were, Ryuen Kakeru knew that Kanzaki must have won their swimming race.

He strode over arrogantly and taunted Kanzaki. "Kanzaki, do you dare to make a bet with me? Let's put up a thousand Energy Stones. If I win, you give me the thousand. If I lose, I'll give you a thousand."

Kanzaki's expression remained calm, and he showed no sign of wanting to answer. His eyes didn't waver in the slightest, as if Ryuen Kakeru's provocation meant nothing to him.

Itozawa noticed what was happening, a thoughtful look flickering across his eyes. He knew Ryuen Kakeru might be provoking Kanzaki as part of some strategy, or he might be testing Kanzaki's reaction. Itozawa decided to stay alert and see what happened next.

The students around them began whispering, curious about Ryuen Kakeru's challenge and Kanzaki's calm response. Some disapproved of Ryuen Kakeru's arrogance, while others admired Kanzaki's composure and confidence.

When Ryuen Kakeru saw that Kanzaki wasn't reacting, a hint of displeasure crossed his face, but he quickly put on his arrogant grin again. "What's wrong, Kanzaki? Are you scared?"

At last, Kanzaki spoke, his voice calm and firm. "Ryuen Kakeru, I'm not interested in betting with you. If you want Energy Stones, earn them with your own strength."

Ryuen Kakeru's smile froze. A flash of anger crossed his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

He snorted and didn't press the issue. Turning away, he left the pool area, followed closely by his three lackeys. Shiina gave them a polite nod, then stepped inside.

The students from Class B began leaving the swimming pool one after another, but their discussion continued.

Ryuen Kakeru's challenge and Kanzaki's calm response became the focus of their conversation. Some began wondering if Ryuen Kakeru would really let it go, while others admired Kanzaki's strength and composure.