What a Coincidence-You Changed Teammates Too?

Moreover, the [soccer] event at the Sports Festival was shortened by half, allowing Miyabi Nagumo to have more energy to expand her range of activity, covering almost the entire field.

In the first half, Class 2-B played a brilliant offensive game thanks to his orchestration, and their defense was also very effective.

"Give me the ball!"

The second half had just begun when Class 2-B launched a relentless attack on Class 1-D, just like in the first half. After several passes and a slow advance, Kiriyama took the initiative and quickly passed the ball to Miyabi Nagumo, who had already reached the vicinity of the opponent's penalty area.

Kiriyama's shot was pretty good. He Miyabi Nagumo had already combined like this several times in the first half. Under the watchful eyes of the entire stadium, the black and white football flew towards the penalty area, and Miyabi Nagumo found her position. Hirata Yosuke quickly returned to defend, but was blocked by the taller Miyabi Nagumo with her body. Nagumo very experiencedly leaned her center of gravity to the left, and used her weight to press down on Hirata Yosuke, preventing him from stealing the ball while also preparing to receive it.

Miyabi Nagumo swung her right foot, using her waist and legs to generate power, her whole body like a fully drawn bow, and the "arrow" was quickly delivered to her foot.

Even Chabashira Sae, who doesn't usually participate much in class affairs, came to the audience of Class 1-D. As the homeroom teacher, she didn't have high hopes for Class D at first, but when she heard that Class 1-D and Class 2-B had actually fought to a draw in the first six rounds and had to fight to the death in the final match, she couldn't help but have a little bit of hope in her heart.

After all, since the start of the school year, Class 1-D has been the First Year. Based on the number of Class Points has, if A, B, and C are in one tier, then Class D is a separate tier that has been left empty.

If Class 1-D can defeat the second-year students in this Sports Festival, it will undoubtedly rekindle Chabashira Sae's hopes of advancing to Class A.

However, the devastating situation of conceding four goals in the first half was a sudden blow to Chabashira Sae. Seeing Miyabi Nagumo break through again, her heart sank even further, because just ten minutes earlier in the first half, Miyabi Nagumo had launched several similar attacks, and they were often effective.

"This is the first time I've seen Sae so nervous."

Hoshinomiya Chie, the class guide of Class C who had been keeping a close eye on Chabashira Sae's actions, was naturally following closely behind. She was probably one of the people who least wanted to see Class D win.

"Unfortunately, it looks like the ball is going in."

The goalkeeper for Class 1-D didn't have much experience with football, and was even chosen as the goalkeeper simply because he was relatively muscular and looked easier to defend against.

"Cold!"

But the next instant, Karuizawa Kei in the front row of the audience stood up and shouted.

Kitagawa Ryo, making full use of his momentum as he sprinted back to the goal, leaped forward, leaned his upper body forward, and cut in from the side like lightning, blocking the ball's path. Because he was so fast, the students didn't realize what was happening until Kitagawa Ryo headed the ball out of bounds and it rolled to the side.

Following Karuizawa Kei's initial outburst, the Class 1-D contingent erupted in hysterical shouts.

Chabashira Sae let out a long sigh of relief, then slumped back in her chair as if all her strength had left her.

"The defense was beautiful; it had a bit of my style back in the day."

Sakagami Kazuma teacher of Class 1-B who had also arrived at the scene at some point, adjusted his glasses and sighed. Mashima Tomoya, the homeroom teacher of Class 1-A who was standing next to him, looked at Sakagami Kazuma's thin figure with a smirk and wondered how he could say such a thing.

However, considering that the students who were stealing the show were from Class 1-B, let's just pretend we didn't see them.

After Miyabi Nagumo's shot was saved, she didn't have many other thoughts. The situation on the football field can change in an instant. As a veteran player who has been playing football for almost ten years, no matter how much she despised her opponents before going on the field, once she was on the field, her personality calmed down immediately. She just curled her lips and gestured for Class 2-B to step back.

Kitagawa Ryo's speed is not new information.

Class 1-D, who took the initiative to kick off, chose to pass the ball to Hirata Yosuke then quickly passed it to Kitagawa Ryo on the left flank after running a short distance.

Seeing Kitagawa Ryo, who had just displayed remarkable skill, get the soccer ball, both classes' stands fell silent at the same time, and all eyes turned to him.

Class 2-B went all out, with three players moving towards Kitagawa Ryo from three directions. After all, Miyabi Nagumo had just instructed them to make Kitagawa Ryo look bad.

However, Kitagawa Ryo did the opposite. Instead of using his individual skills to dribble the ball alone, he quickly passed the ball to Ken Sudō, who was already waiting in the middle.

Ken Sudō was indeed less talented in soccer. He almost lost the ball while running, and faced with the lunging defense of Class 2-B, he could only awkwardly kick the ball to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka on the left front, while he used his speed advantage to run ahead to the next receiving point.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's physical abilities are beyond doubt, especially his ability to dribble past opponents one-on-one without the need for teamwork. He caught Ken Sudō's less-than-perfect pass with his right foot, easily evaded the opponent's tackle, and quickly passed the ball to Koenji Rokusuke had already moved forward.

Hahahaha!

Although they didn't know how the opponent could laugh so loudly while running at high speed, Kiriyama Nagumo regarded the physically abnormal Koenji as the biggest threat before the match and immediately and tacitly stepped forward to double-team him.

At this point, Class 1-D had already approached the edge of the opponent's penalty area. Given Koenji Rokusuke's personality, he would definitely choose to charge in alone or try to break through with a long-range shot.

In the first half, Class 1-D did manage to penetrate Class 2-B's penalty area several times, but Koenji Rokusuke's penchant for long-range shots was well-managed by Miyabi Nagumo, who closely marked him and prevented him from posing any threat to the goal.

Koenji Rokusuke faced the goal and swung his leg, but instead of heading towards the goal that Class 2-B had in mind, he passed the ball to his left rear as if he had eyes in the back of his head.

The four homeroom teachers standing in the highest row of the audience saw it most clearly, Sakagami Kazuma's voice suddenly rose eight octaves, almost becoming shrill:

"Kitagawa has the ball!"

Class 2-B had created a huge defensive gap due to the onslaught from Class 1-D, and it was in this open area that Kitagawa Ryo rushed in.

Realizing something was wrong, Miyabi Nagumo's pupils contracted sharply, and she turned around and shouted to her goalkeeper:

"Notice!"

With no one marking him, Kitagawa Ryo even had the energy to dribble the ball a little further until he was only about twenty meters from the goal.

The Class 2-B guard was rushing towards them with all his might, but because of his previous defense against Koenji Rokusuke, there was still a distance of seven or eight meters between them.

With his right hand raised and his left foot bent backward, Kitagawa Ryo fiercely volleyed the soccer ball out under the watchful eyes of the entire stadium.

"Boom--"

Upon hearing Miyabi Nagumo's instruction, the goalkeeper instinctively moved closer, intending to forcefully block the ball with his body. Before he could even dive, a piercing sound of wind cutting through the air rang in his ears. The black and white football whistled past, like a cannonball, and slammed directly into the goal, crashing into the snow-white net.

The score on the screen has been brought to 1-4.

The next moment, Kitagawa Ryo's gesture of raising his right hand into the air ignited a frenzied atmosphere throughout the arena.

The students in Class 1-D forgot that Kitagawa Ryo wasn't in their class, and they all roared hysterically, venting the humiliation they had suffered in the first half.

In this atmosphere, Ken Sudō pounced on Kitagawa Ryo and roared like a wild beast, seemingly forgetting all about the ordeal Kitagawa Ryo had caused him at the beginning of the semester.

"I'll lead the next attack."

Miyabi Nagumo's face was ashen. He couldn't stand anyone being more prominent than him on this green field, even though the other side had only scored one goal.

However, he was also thinking back to Kitagawa Ryo's shot earlier, which had indeed put a lot of pressure on him.

More importantly, it seemed like the moment Kitagawa Ryo entered the game, the entire Class 1-D suddenly started playing, and their teamwork improved significantly compared to the first half.

"Um."

Kiriyama nodded; at this point, he had no choice but to trust Miyabi Nagumo.

Not long after, Class 2-B regained possession of the ball and launched an attack. The ball was quickly passed around to Miyabi Nagumo, who was facing Ken Sudō, who was making a defensive run.

Miyabi Nagumo's dribbling skills were quite dazzling, yet delicate. Seeing Miyabi Nagumo take the initiative to break through with the ball, the students from Class 2-B and many students from Class 2-A who had come to watch couldn't help but cheer. Even Miyabi Nagumo Asahina Nazuna, who had always been quite fond of teasing Nangumo Masaru, was full of confidence and planned to enjoy her childhood friend's performance.

Ken Sudō was sweating as he faced Miyabi Nagumo. He fought and retreated, not daring to easily intercept the ball. Gradually, he lost his footing under Nagumo's dribbling rhythm and was suddenly faked out and fell to the ground. He could only watch helplessly as Miyabi Nagumo broke through.

The second-year students were even more impressive, and Miyabi Nagumo, who had performed exceptionally well, smiled.

He raised a mocking smile, with only Kitagawa Ryo standing in his place to cover him.

"Hey, isn't this Nagumo we just beat 7-0?"

Kitagawa Ryo bluntly retorted:

"Meng Huo became obedient after being captured seven times, so why do you still look so defiant?"

Miyabi Nagumo's expression tightened, and she pursed her lips without retaliating. After all, in a game, the ball speaks volumes, and it would be bad if the opponent disrupted her rhythm.

His left and right feet moved with dazzling speed. First, he gripped the ball tightly with the arch and heel of his left foot, then turned and kicked the ball upwards with his right foot at the same time. He leaned forward again, intending to head the ball past Kitagawa Ryo and pass it to Kiriyama had already broken through.

Just as Miyabi Nagumo leaped up, Kitagawa Ryo, who was standing in front of him, also jumped up at the same time, blocking Miyabi Nagumo like a wall.

Even more alarming, Miyabi Nagumo discovered that the opponent's jump height was actually several centimeters higher than his own.

Because of this difference of just a few centimeters, Kitagawa Ryo seemed to catch the ball earlier than him.

Miyabi Nagumo also hardened her heart and reached out to grab Kitagawa Ryo from the air. At this moment, due to the all-out attack, Class 2-B's defense was extremely vulnerable. Once Kitagawa Ryo received the ball, a simple long pass would easily penetrate Class 2-B's penalty area.

So they didn't care whether it was a foul or not.

It can only be said that these teammates from Class 2-B are unreliable. If they had teammates from their own class with better teamwork, things wouldn't have turned out this way.

Miyabi Nagumo thought bitterly as she reached out her hand, but unexpectedly grabbed nothing.

Kitagawa Ryo's upper body abruptly changed direction in mid-air, dodging Miyabi Nagumo's grab, and then twisted his waist and swung his abdomen to head the ball to Hirata Yosuke in the attacking third.

Unable to get back in time, Class 2-B could only watch helplessly as Hirata Yosuke and Shibata Sō combined to dribble into their penalty area. The two were teammates in the soccer club, so their teamwork was naturally excellent. The goalkeeper was also a bit flustered and was fooled by Shibata Sō's feint, allowing Hirata Yosuke to score.

"Trying to foul?"

Kitagawa Ryo looked at Miyabi Nagumo with a cold smile. While Malice fouls are indeed a tactic in soccer, Kitagawa Ryo naturally wouldn't let go of the opportunity to ridicule him now that he had the chance.

Because it was a clash between the two teams' aces, all eyes were on this spot. Miyabi Nagumo's final grab was indeed too obvious. Although it didn't constitute a foul because it didn't actually touch her, various discussions and whispers instantly spread.

Kiriyama, who was standing nearby, was about to step forward to say a few words in defense of Miyabi Nagumo, but to his surprise, Miyabi Nagumo simply and decisively took off her jersey and threw it directly at Kiriyama.

"I'm tired. You can handle the rest yourselves."

Just as Kiriyama was still in shock, Miyabi Nagumo turned back to look at Kitagawa Ryo and said in a low voice:

"I had three goals and one assist in the first half. Once you surpass that record, I'll lead Class A back again."

At this moment, Miyabi Nagumo's words surprised Kitagawa Ryo, but he responded cheerfully:

"I know, I know, my teammates aren't good enough."

Miyabi Nagumo also snorted coldly, refusing to respond to Kitagawa Ryo's words, and walked straight back to the audience seats, seemingly having no intention of continuing to participate in this match.

Kiriyama also realized what was happening, but he didn't dare to offend Miyabi Nagumo at this moment. He could only give Kitagawa Ryo a somewhat dissatisfied look, stomp his foot angrily, and then leave.

The stands on both sides erupted in uproar. Although some second-year students were saying things like, "It's normal to rest after playing the first half and half of the second half," "Nagumo has already scored three goals and provided an assist, what more do you want from him?" and "There's another match this afternoon, he needs to conserve his energy," the students from Class 1-D didn't hold back in their jeering.

"The Student Council President was so badly beaten by the First Year he was too afraid to even show his face!"

"How can you talk like that? He's still the vice president."

"Coward!"

Regardless of the ridicule, Miyabi Nagumo did not choose to return to the field. Without Miyabi Nagumo, Class 2-B suffered a crushing defeat, losing 6-4 after leading by four goals in the first half.

This also means that Class 1-D defeated Class 2-B with a score of 4 to 3.

Seeing the students from Class 1-D and Class B of the first year hugging and high-fiving each other in celebration, Miyabi Nagumo's face turned ashen. However, he soon received even worse news.

[Class 1-A 1 easily defeated Class 3-D by a score of 4 to 2, overcoming two grades.]

And the next opponent chosen by Commander Sakayanagi Arisu, the commander of Class 1-A—

It was Class 2-A.

Chapter 73: What a coincidence, you changed teammates too?

Unlike the "senior rule" prevalent in most schools in this country, Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School, which adheres to Classroom of the Elite Studio, is extremely lax in this regard. Regardless of whether you are a senior or junior, as long as you are stronger than the other person, you are entitled to receive more benefits and treatment. This is why Ken Sudō was able to squeeze out his second-year seniors in the same club and become a starting player within a semester. In a regular school club, juniors would still obediently do odd jobs for their seniors first.

This is also reflected in the Student Council, the most important student organization on campus. As a second-year student, Miyabi Nagumo's philosophy is contrary to that of Horikita Manabu, a third-year student. She frequently opposes Horikita Manabu but is not criticized by others. This is because Miyabi Nagumo has the power to unite the entire second year and even has influence in other third-year classes.

If all goes well, in mid-October after the Sports Festival, Miyabi Nagumo will officially take over as the Student Council President of Horikita Manabu. Once this year's third-year students graduate, Miyabi Nagumo, now a third-year student, will be free to use his power in the Student Council to shape the school into whatever he likes.

This year's Sports Festival can be seen as an experiment by Miyabi Nagumo. Whether it's the all-grade free-for-all format, the larger point rewards and punishments compared to previous years, or the result of the loser being expelled, it all clearly reflects his personal philosophy of "absolute Classroom of the Elite Studio".

Miyabi Nagumo thought this would be a turning point in history, starting with this Sports Festival, dividing Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School into two phases.

But...

[Class 2-A vs. Class 1-A]

Following Class 1-B, even Class 1-A took the initiative to challenge Class 2-A.

These juniors were even more insane than Miyabi Nagumo had imagined. Before the start of this Sports Festival, Miyabi Nagumo had devised many strategies for each First Year class, such as proactively declaring war on a class in the same grade in order to protect themselves, and agreeing to choose their opponents to avoid the upper grades... But she never expected that the First Year classes would unite and attack the upper grades together.

This kind of grade-level integrated combat approach has always been a halo surrounding Miyabi Nagumo.

It was precisely because of his prestige throughout the entire grade that he was able to rise to the position of Student Council, but now he's only been a freshman for First Year...

The image of the figure who jumped in sync with her but blocked out the sun flashed into Miyabi Nagumo's mind.

A new student with a tendency to integrate the entire grade has already emerged.

Without Kitagawa Ryo's participation Class 1-D would undoubtedly have lost the battle. This easily led him to believe that the other side had spearheaded this collective action by the First Year. In addition, Class 2-D reported to him that they had also seen this person in Ichinose Honami Class 1-C, which made Miyabi Nagumo even more certain of the other side's dominant position.

Judging from his record of 0 to 7 against Class 1-B, the opponent must have made detailed project preparations. Even if they are unwilling to admit it, Class 1-B's use of that cat was simply top-notch. Since Class 1-A dared to come and challenge him right after Class 1-B, they must have designed their project as well.

Miyabi Nagumo stared at the screen in front of her with flickering eyes, waiting for the commander of Class 1-A, Commander Sakayanagi Arisu, to confirm the seven items.

Although she had already experienced one failure, Miyabi Nagumo was not worried about dropping out of school.

Not to mention that he must have more than 20 million Private Points under his control, having unified the entire grade, Miyabi Nagumo also given a [Protection Point] reward during Special Exam in her third semester of First Year. The purpose of the [Protection Point] was to offset a one-time expulsion penalty.

By this time, Miyabi Nagumo had also guessed Kitagawa Ryo's intentions.

He had no intention of defending at all; he went straight for the attack, once wasn't enough, so he went two or even three times.

If she fails three times in a row and receives the penalty of being expelled from school three times in a row, even if the Protection Point can offset one instance, Miyabi Nagumo will still need to spend a full 40 million Private Points, which is a huge number even for him.

"But..."

Miyabi Nagumo looked at the screen, trying to calm herself down.