Kitagawa Ryo Is the Practice Partner / I'll Pass Along Snow's Greetings

After arriving at his desired research topic, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka received a warm greeting from Kitagawa Ryo.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's golden pupils narrowed almost imperceptibly for a moment. He knew very well that since Kitagawa Ryo could appear before him so leisurely, it meant that his arrangements in the other two locations had failed and the other party had found a way to resolve the situation.

However, it did ultimately play a role in drawing attention away from the situation.

From beginning to end, he only believed in himself.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at the four members of Kitagawa Ryo's group, then fixed his gaze on Kitagawa Ryo alone. He took a step forward and calmly spoke to the teacher in charge of the project:

"I want to register."

[Topic: Freestyle Fighting]

A long-awaited rematch.

Chapter 200: The Practice Subject is Kitagawa Ryo

In truth, this can't really be considered a rematch between Kitagawa Ryo and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in the strict sense, since for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, this was actually the first time he had faced Kitagawa Ryo in a Freestyle Fighting event.

For Kitagawa Ryo, perhaps calling this the 101st battle would be more fitting. If we also include Karuizawa Kei's brief encounter on the Uninhabited Island during the second simulation, it would be the 102nd battle.

[Topic: Freestyle Fighting (Team)]

[Topic Type: Sports]

[Project Description: Participation is by group. Registration closes when four groups have registered or one hour after the project is announced.]

[Participating students will compete in groups, with each group drawing lots to determine who will face off in a single-elimination format. Starting from the first round, each group will send one student to compete. If a student defeats their opponent, they can continue to defend their title; if they are defeated, they are eliminated, and members of the same group will take turns challenging for the title until all members of the group are eliminated. The group represented by the last surviving student advances until the final winner is determined.]

Of course, like all the topics today, [Freestyle Fighting (Team)] also adds the penalty of eliminating one person from the bottom group.

Besides Kitagawa Ryo's group and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's group, the four groups gathered at this project site also included one group each from Class C and Class B.

Class B still has a full complement of four members, but Group Class C only has three members left, probably because one member was eliminated during this morning's project.

Even so, the students in Class C did not show any signs of fear. The three boys each crossed their arms and looked confident. After all, when it came to studying, they were complete novices, but when it came to fighting, Class C was definitely known for its strong sense of martial arts.

In contrast, the four students in Class 1-B were more composed, scrutinizing their soon-to-be competitors.

In their eyes, groups like Kitagawa Ryo (one man and three women) and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka (a lone individual) who dared to sign up for the [Freestyle Fighting (Group)] event must have a full assessment and confidence in their own abilities.

Although neither of them looked as muscular and intimidating as the famous athletes in the grade, such as Ken Sudō, Kito Hayato, and Yamada Albert, the students of Class B still rallied their spirits and showed no sign of underestimating their opponents.

If they were to choose for themselves, the students in Class B would prefer to directly face the seemingly arrogant and warlike Class 1-C, since it would be four against three, giving them a natural advantage in numbers.

Whether or not the heavens heard their prayers, in the subsequent draw, this group from Class 1-B was indeed matched up against Class 1-C.

However, this also announced another matter.

Kitagawa Ryo's team will face Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's team in the first round.

Although it's called a match between teams, everyone knows it's actually a contest between Kitagawa Ryo and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Given that Horikita Suzune, Ichinose Honami, and Sakayanagi Arisu are not considered effective combatants, if Kitagawa Ryo loses the first round against Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, it can basically be considered a direct declaration of defeat for Kitagawa Ryo's team.

"Liang won't lose."

Ichinose Honami was the first to speak; she had personally witnessed Kitagawa Ryo defeat Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

"The advantage of being cool is indeed significant."

Sakayanagi Arisu nodded in agreement; she had personally witnessed Kitagawa Ryo destroy the entire White Room.

"Um."

Horikita Suzune merely echoed softly. She didn't know or understand Ayanokoji Kiyotaka at all, but she was familiar with Ryo and trusted him.

That's enough.

Just as the Masterpiece of the White Room and Kitagawa Ryo were about to begin their battle, at the [Group Dodgeball] project site, Amasawa Ichika, the outstanding graduate of the fifth class of the White Room, had already revealed her fangs.

Katsuragi Kohei's expression had changed from calm and composed at the beginning of the project to extremely serious. Ever since Amasawa Ichika became the thrower, every ball thrown by the opposing team had hit a student from Class A who was hiding in a panic.

So far, not a single student from Class A has been able to successfully evade Amasawa Ichika's attacks. It's as if he's hitting a stationary wooden stake; every move Amasawa Ichika makes means a point in his favor.

If the first few shots could be considered luck, the students of Class 1-A only realized what kind of opponent they were facing after the number of players on the field was reduced by half, greatly increasing the space for dodging, and Amasawa Ichika's shooting percentage was still 100%.

Just as Katsuragi Kohei was anxiously pondering when another formidable character would emerge from Class 1-D, Totsuka Yahiko, to his right, suddenly let out a scream.

The project ball, which is about a size smaller than a basketball, is actually quite soft, which is also to protect the students' safety.

However, this is on the premise that the thrower's force does not suddenly increase, or that the area hit is thick-skinned.

It can only be said that Amasawa Ichika's actions were entirely driven by personal grudges. After delivering a powerful throw that struck Totsuka Yahiko squarely in the lower half of his body, she even stuck out her tongue in a feigned apology.

"I'm so sorry, I made a mistake."

She controlled her strength well, and the ball was made of soft material, so she would only feel some pain at most. Totsuka Yahiko's reaction to be so violent. Anyone who didn't know better would think that he had lost the ability to do handicrafts forever.

The teacher in charge weighed the ball used for the project in his hand, not quite believing that it could cause any sensation if it hit someone, but still went up to ask Totsuka Yahiko if he wanted to receive medical assistance from the school's medical police.

After considering the possibility that he might become the first student on the entire island to be forced to withdraw from the exam due to a lower body injury, Totsuka Yahiko grimaced and said no, no, he just needed to rest.

The elimination of Totsuka Yahiko did not change the overall trend of this round. Amasawa Ichika continued his amazing shooting form, eliminating all the students present, including Katsuragi Kohei. Throughout the process, the balls he threw seemed to have eyes, avoiding Karuizawa Kei and Sakura Airi from the same group.

Having scored twelve points in the offensive rounds, the Karuizawa Kei team has effectively secured first place in this round's competition.

Even if the other three groups throw all their members out of the game, they can only score eleven points (Karuizawa Kei's group only has three members).

Realizing this, the remaining Class A teams, who were on offense, inevitably resorted to tanking, as if they had been provoked and focused all their pitches on Amasawa Ichika.

Then came something that stunned them.

Even when targeted by the thrower, Amasawa Ichika remained composed, demonstrating extraordinary reaction speed and physical flexibility.

The iron bridge, the splits, the back turn... it was almost like a performance; not a single ball could land squarely on Amasawa Ichika.

"Amasawa's flexibility is amazing! Did he have any dance training before?"

During the break between the two offensive rotations, Karuizawa Kei, who was in the same group, asked her a question out of curiosity.

Sakura Airi nodded in agreement.

"I feel more flexible than many Actor."

As a former professional idol who has undergone professional singing and dancing training, she knows very well how much effort it takes to control her body to this extent.

"... I guess so."

Faced with their doubts and praises, Amasawa Ichika gave a vague and ambiguous answer:

She actually didn't have much dance training; her excellent physical qualities were cultivated during the more than ten years she spent in the White Room.

Even Kitagawa Ryo would give a big thumbs up to the White Room's outstanding achievements in fitness.

However, to be honest, Amasawa Ichika did practice these moves.

After glancing at the two girls in her group, Amasawa Ichika hesitated to speak.

After all, she practiced in a tent, and her practice partner happened to be named Kitagawa Ryo.

Chapter 201: I send my greetings to you on Xue's behalf

Due to the order of the draw, the first round of the [Freestyle Fighting (Team)] event featured two groups from Class B and Class C of the Class 1-B. The school 'Matoba setup was quite professional, with a proper-looking ring brought over, creating a very realistic atmosphere.

Unlike Kitagawa Ryo, who was enthusiastically commenting on the actions on the field and frequently making remarks such as "attack his middle lane" and "take down his lower body," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who was waiting to take the stage, appeared more indifferent, only occasionally raising his hand to check if there were any messages from the school about newly eliminated players.

Although Ayanokoji Kiyotaka knew that the fact that Kitagawa Ryo's group dared to appear directly in front of him meant that the two groups he sent to target Karuizawa Kei and Shiina Hiyori had been neutralized, he couldn't deny that he wouldn't immediately conclude that Class A would lose before the final result was in.

Especially considering that even Katsuragi Kohei's team was mobilized.

But as soon as you speak of the devil, he appears. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was thinking of Katsuragi Kohei, his wristwatch began to vibrate slightly, indicating that he had received a communication from Katsuragi Kohei himself.

"Regarding the [Group Dodgeball] challenge, Karuizawa Kei used the [Reinforcement] card to join the group of Sakura Airi and Amasawa Ichika from Class 1-D. The operation against her failed."

Although his tone inevitably carried the bitterness of a loser, Katsuragi Kohei's personal qualities were still acceptable, and he concisely explained the beginning and end of the incident.

"I see."

During his investigation over the course of more than a semester, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka has basically confirmed that Amasawa Ichika is the experimental subject who was sent by the White Room to assist him in his mission, but ended up not contacting him at all and even turning against him.

As the Masterpiece of the White Room, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was well aware of the qualities of the outstanding graduates of the fifth class of the White Room. Upon hearing their names, he understood exactly why Katsuragi Kohei had lost.

He nodded slightly, and even added a word of comfort:

"At least we forced out Karuizawa Kei's [Reinforcement] card. Now that she's chosen a duo, the threat to us has decreased."

The best way to use the [Reinforcement] card is at the very last moment before the exam ends. Choose to join the group with the highest score in your class. The elite group in Class B has the ability to compete for the top five. With the score of Karuizawa Kei's group, you can basically secure a top-three position in a group.

After all, the bug with the [Reinforcement] special card is that it can exceed the limit of the number of people in a group. If it is used in a two-person group like Karuizawa Kei, and everyone forms a three-person group, it would be a bit of a waste. For Class 1-A, this can be regarded as achieving their initial strategic goal from the side.

"But something still doesn't feel right."

The voice on the other end of the phone changed to Hirata Yosuke's. Unlike his usual kind and gentle tone, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka heard him speak in a rather serious tone, which was quite unusual.

"I noticed this just now. Amasawa Ichika's group's score is a bit off. The [Group Dodgeball] project just ended, and the first-place prize points were just awarded, but their group's score increase is... too much."

Hirata Yosuke paused for a moment, then speculated somewhat hesitantly:

"If I'm not mistaken, the student Chosen One still hasn't shown up is either Sakura Airi or Amasawa Ichika from Class D."

"Um."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka acknowledged that he was listening. In his heart, he actually believed Hirata Yosuke's speculation, because if this were the case, it would explain why Kitagawa Ryo would send Sakura Airi and Amasawa Ichika's team to rescue them.

If the special card [Chosen One] is indeed among the two players, it can certainly bridge the gap between a two-person team and a four-person team, especially given that all current challenges are team-based.

This means their group's scoring efficiency was 1.5 times that of the other groups.

"First contestants from Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's team and Kitagawa Ryo's team, please get ready. The first round of competition is about to begin."

The match Class 1-B and Class 1-C has already been decided. The four-man group from Class B simply couldn't beat the three boys from Class C. They are now waiting for their opponents in the loser's bracket with dejected expressions. If they lose again, they will become the last place group and be forced to eliminate one member.

But Ayanokoji Kiyotaka no longer paid attention to them, because Kitagawa Ryo had already come up in front of him.

Neither of them made any attempt at small talk before the match began. Kitagawa Ryo put away his usual smile, adjusted his breathing to its optimal rhythm, and assumed a starting stance facing Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Compared to his previous impoverished state when facing Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Kitagawa Ryo's talents at this moment are undoubtedly much more impressive, especially the two additional talents of [Strength to Carry a Tripod] and [Hawkeye]. The former gives him outstanding physical qualities, while the latter grants him powerful dynamic vision.

More importantly, thanks to his golden talent [Eidetic Memory], Kitagawa Ryo almost completely retained his memories of the hundred duels he had with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

It could be said that he was even more familiar with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's fighting style and some of his commonly used moves than the instructors in the White Room.

But Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was unaware of these things.

For him, this was his first showdown with Kitagawa Ryo.

Although Kitagawa Ryo was reluctant to use information asymmetry to deal with girls because of Sakayanagi Arisu's simulation, it would be foolish not to use information asymmetry when it is an advantage.

"The match begins!"

At the sound of the teacher's whistle, Kitagawa Ryo charged forward, his sharp jab aimed straight at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's nose.

With an almost instinctive reaction, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka tilted his head slightly to avoid the attack, but immediately his waist, abdomen and calves were met with a fierce onslaught.

The moment the two clashed, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka immediately felt quite awkward. It was as if his opponent knew exactly how he would react and how he would counterattack, anticipating every move he made.

"You've also been in the White Room?"

Jumping back two steps to temporarily dodge Kitagawa Ryo's attack, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's eyes flickered, and he asked him hesitantly.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka has spent almost his entire life in the White Room, and he is quite certain that he has never fought outside of the White Room, including this semester since arriving at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School, where he has not demonstrated his fighting skills anywhere.

But Kitagawa Ryo seemed to have a complete understanding of his tactics, style, and moves. Considering that Amasawa Ichika, who came from the White Room, joined the opposing side after entering the school, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka frowned slightly and made a deduction.

But he clearly remembered that Kitagawa Ryo was not among the children of the same age, and if there really was such a person in the White Room, the instructors should have already brought him up for comparison.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was not an arrogant person. He was well aware that there must be peers in the outside world who were more outstanding than him, but he never doubted his position as the number one in the White Room.

Moreover, they are the undisputed number one.

Although he wasn't surprised that Amasawa Ichika was able to defeat Katsuragi Kohei's team, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was not at all surprised that he could easily defeat Amasawa Ichika.

If Amasawa Ichika, as an outstanding graduate of the fifth class, has a combat power of five, then he is undoubtedly one hundred.

That's why Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was so suspicious about Kitagawa Ryo's background.

Who knows?

Kitagawa Ryo deliberately avoided giving a direct answer, instead offering a slightly mysterious smile before pressing forward again and regaining control of the attack.

The Class C group, which had just advanced to the second round, was originally full of confidence, thinking that a single-person group and a group of one boy and three girls were no match for them. However, after Kitagawa Ryo and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka went back and forth for two minutes, they quietly gave up on this idea.