Swimming Competition

The clear pool water rippled gently under Fujiwara Rin-sensei's energetic instructions. After several rounds of basic drills and individual guidance, most students could maintain a basic swim in the water; the splashing and nervous laughter in the shallow water area gradually gave way to smoother movements. Fujiwara-sensei stood by the pool, her amber eyes sweeping across the entire swimming hall like an experienced captain inspecting novice sailors. A hint of subtle scrutiny hid beneath her bright smile.

"Looks like everyone's getting the hang of it and can swim now, huh?" She clapped her hands, her voice carrying an inspiring resonance that instantly drew everyone's attention. "Well, just practicing is boring! How about we spice things up a bit?"

Her words dropped like a pebble into still water, rippling out waves of anticipation. The students stopped their movements one after another, turning to look at the teacher.

"The rules are simple!" Fujiwara-sensei raised one finger, her smile radiant. "Separate by gender, race fifty meters freestyle! Groups of five! The winner..." She deliberately dragged out her tone, whetting everyone's appetite, then announced clearly, "The fastest in the male and female groups will receive—a 5000 Personal Point reward!"

"Whoa—!"

"5000 points?!"

"For real?"

Exclamations and excited chatter exploded across the pool. 5000 points! Though it was a considerable gap from the previous income of one hundred thousand, it was still an enviable fortune! Enough to eat at the shopping street cafeteria for half a month, or stock up on plenty of necessities! The atmosphere, tinged with training fatigue, ignited instantly. Everyone was eagerly ready, eyes sparkling with a fighting spirit.

Ichinose Honami immediately clenched her little fists in excitement: "Awesome! I'll do my best!" She looked at her female companions beside her, eyes full of fighting spirit. Shimiya Kuki, resting by the pool edge, let a faint, barely perceptible ripple pass through his calm eyes when he heard "5000 Personal Points." Points—no one could completely ignore them. For him, why give up on something he could take?

The groups were quickly arranged. The boys started first. When the first group of five stood on the starting platforms, the entire swimming hall's atmosphere turned tense and focused. Fujiwara-sensei personally served as the starter, her whistle cutting sharply through the air!

"Ready—tweet!"

Five figures plunged into the water like arrows from a bow, splashing up large sheets of foam. The pool water churned instantly with fierce competition. Cheers erupted from the classmates watching on the shore. Fujiwara-sensei stood by the pool, her sharp gaze sweeping over every lane, accurately calling out each group winner's time.

Race after race passed, and the speed gaps gradually emerged. Some suffered midway exhaustion, some had distorted strokes, and others showed surprising strength.

Finally, it was Shimiya Kuki's group. In the same group were Shibata Kaede, the tall and strong build who had chatted cheerfully with Ichinose in the locker room earlier, and Kanzaki Ryuji.

Shimiya Kuki stood on the starting platform, calmly adjusting his breath. Water droplets slid down his well-defined muscle lines; the fierce scar on his chest stood out starkly under the bright lights, drawing several complex glances from those around him. He acted as if he hadn't noticed, his gaze fixed solely on the deep blue water ahead.

"Ready—tweet!"

The instant the whistle blew, Shimiya Kuki's body released like a drawn bowstring suddenly let loose. His entry into the water was clean and crisp, with minimal splashing. His freestyle wasn't the explosive, fierce momentum of Shibata Kaede, but a fluid, efficient motion honed by countless repetitions, almost instinctive. His stroke amplitude was precise, his rhythm steady; every breath came at just the right moment. His body maintained a perfect streamline in the water, as if merging with it. He had almost no wasted movement, every ounce of force perfectly converted into forward thrust.

Shibata Kaede followed close behind. His movements were open and grand, full of wild power; each stroke kicked up large splashes, his speed blistering, carrying a fierce momentum. He clung less than half a body length behind Shimiya Kuki, their competition becoming the focus of the entire venue. Kanzaki Ryuji was in third place. His stroke was as standard and precise as his thinking, but clearly lacking in speed and power, gradually falling behind the two ahead.

The cheers on the shore reached a peak. Ichinose Honami clenched her fists nervously, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the figure moving through the water like a fish, and the scar on his chest that appeared and disappeared in the water.

At the 25-meter turning point, Shimiya Kuki executed a clean tuck turn, losing almost no speed, instantly opening a slight gap with Shibata Kaede. Shibata Kaede's turn was slightly delayed, with more splashing. In the final sprint phase, Shibata Kaede let out a low growl, pushing with all his might to catch up, water flying. But Shimiya Kuki was like a precision machine running a set program; his rhythm showed no disorder. Instead, he accelerated again in the last ten meters, breaking through the water like an arrow, touching the wall first!

"Lane one, 25 seconds flat!" Fujiwara-sensei pressed her stopwatch, reporting the time clearly, a hint of barely perceptible approval in her tone. She glanced at the youth who had just surfaced, breathing slightly heavily, the scar on his chest rising and falling with each breath, yet his eyes remained calm and unwavering.

Shibata Kaede touched the wall right after, with a time of 26.17 seconds. He wiped the water from his face, looking at Shimiya Kuki with eyes full of unwillingness and a strong competitive drive. Kanzaki Ryuji finished third with 29.33 seconds.

The girls' competition was just as intense. Though Ichinose Honami's movements weren't exactly professional, she stood out in her heat with excellent body coordination and a stubborn fighting spirit, ultimately taking first place in the girls' group with a time of 31.19 seconds!

"Excellent!" Fujiwara-sensei looked at the record board, nodding in satisfaction. "Fastest in the boys' group: Shimiya Kuki, 25 seconds! Fastest in the girls' group: Ichinose Honami, 31.19 seconds! Congratulations to both of you! The 5000 Personal Point reward will be credited to your personal accounts by the end of today!"

Applause and cheers rang out, mixed with envy for the strong and desire for the reward. Ichinose Honami laughed happily, waving to her friends on the shore. Shimiya Kuki silently climbed out of the pool, picked up a towel by the edge, and wiped himself down, as if the 5000-point reward had nothing to do with him. Only the wet scar on his chest looked even more glaring under the lights. Shibata Kaede stared at his back, his gaze burning.

The swimming lesson ended with Fujiwara-sensei's dismissal. In the locker room, the buzz about the race and the point reward hadn't subsided, but Shimiya Kuki had already changed and quietly left the swimming hall.

Back in Building B Room 307, the setting sun's afterglow spilled through the large window, filling the small room. The cooking equipment he'd purchased had been installed the day after buying it, while he was in class. That evening, he also did a week's worth of grocery shopping: rice, eggs, a few of the cheapest seasonal vegetables, frozen chicken breast, basic seasonings... He precisely selected sale items and necessities. Final total: 2150 PP.

Simple stir-fried vegetables, pan-seared chicken breast, paired with steaming white rice. This dinner, controlled by his own hands, carried a unique sense of reassurance.

After dinner, he carefully cleaned the stove and dishes. In the bathroom, warm water cascaded from the showerhead, washing away the day's fatigue and the chlorine smell of the pool. The water flowed over his solid chest, also smoothing over the deepest scar, like a brand. The old pain had long faded, leaving only this body's silent record.

He tilted his head back, letting the water stream over his face. The 5000-point reward was just a drop in the bucket. A refrigerator was a necessity, but the 15000-point expense meant he needed more sources of points. Fujiwara-sensei's reminder about "survival skills coming in handy," and the clear sense of this island's pervasive competitive law he'd felt during the race... all clues pointed in the same direction. But aside from these, there should be other ways to earn points. He could investigate in the coming days.

He turned off the water valve and dried himself. Outside the window, the lights of the artificial island lit up one after another, like countless watching eyes.