Sports Festival

The preparations for the Sports Festival were in full swing, the entire first-year class enveloped in a peculiar atmosphere mixing excitement and tension.

Class honor, individual performance, potential Class Points increases or decreases... every single item tugged at the students' nerves.

In the hallways, on the training grounds, students doing their final practice runs could be seen everywhere, with shouts and whistles rising and falling in succession.

Class C's Obstacle Relay training, under Ryuen's "iron-fisted" supervision, was progressing with "perfect order."

Calling it training was more like an embodiment of Ryuen's will.

He personally set the baton order and devised a training plan so harsh it bordered on unreasonable; any mistake or slack would invite "special attention" from Ishizaki and his crew.

Yuefeng was placed in the third leg—a pivotal position bridging the front and back. He had to receive the baton from a teammate charging off a complex balance beam, then quickly traverse a rope net obstacle requiring climbing, before handing off to the final sprinter.

This position demanded extremely fast reflexes, excellent body coordination, and explosive power—and naturally, it was also the easiest place to have an "accident" during high-speed handoffs and climbing.

Yuefeng could clearly feel the malicious stares Ishizaki's group cast his way.

During training, small acts of shoving and bumping happened frequently, especially around the handoff zone and beneath the rope net.

Yuefeng relied entirely on his increasingly proficient Slow Motion perception to preemptively sense danger, narrowly dodging several obvious "mistakes."

He acted restrained and forbearing—neither fighting back fiercely (which would only invite more direct violence) nor showing complete weakness (which would mark him as an easy target).

He simply completed his training volume in silence, while secretly observing everyone's habitual movements and potential "points of attack."

During training breaks, he occasionally saw Hiyori Shiina sitting quietly in the shade by the field, reading a book, or helping organize items in the class support area.

Since the pendant incident, Hiyori Shiina seemed less reserved around him; when their eyes met, she would offer a faint, sincere smile.

Ibuki Mio still kept her usual aloof demeanor, doing dazzling stretches and high-difficulty warm-ups by the training ground, drawing glances from students in other classes.

It also kept Ishizaki's group from daring to approach—after all, no one wanted to experience Ibuki Mio's fists and feet.

Kiyotaka remained like a ghost, occasionally appearing at the edge of the training ground, calmly observing—whether watching Class C's practice or how Yuefeng handled things.

Yuefeng had long since stopped trying to guess his intentions, simply treating his presence as a background pressure, reminding himself not to let his guard down.

The day before the Sports Festival, the final group practice ended.

Ryuen gathered everyone together, his sinister gaze sweeping over each sweaty, panting team member.

"Tomorrow, I want to see results." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an icy pressure. "Class C doesn't need useless people, and definitely doesn't need dead weight.

The Obstacle Relay must make top three. If anyone screws up..." He didn't finish, but his gaze lingered deliberately for a moment on Yuefeng and a few students who usually performed weaker.

Ishizaki cooperatively cracked his knuckles beside him, the joints letting out crisp pops.

Yuefeng lowered his eyelids and silently wiped his sweat.

Top three? Given Class C's current team coordination and the perfunctory attitude of Ishizaki's group during training, unless other classes collectively underperformed, it would be tough.

Ryuen was applying pressure, and also making an excuse for any potential "accidents."

That evening, Yuefeng returned to his dorm. Instead of continuing to study his notes or review lessons as usual, he stood by the window, looking out at the brightly lit campus, repeatedly simulating in his mind the various scenarios the next day's relay might bring.

Where would Ishizaki and his crew strike? At the handoff zone? Under the rope net? Or somewhere more concealed, in the blind spots of the referees and audience?

The Slow Motion ability was highly effective in dealing with sudden physical conflicts, but during high-speed running and chaotic group battles, its limitations became glaring—it was more like a passive early-warning radar, unable to let him predict all conspiracies in advance, nor could it enhance his stamina or speed.

"I have to prepare for the worst..." Yuefeng muttered to himself. He found the simple medical kit he'd bought earlier with points and checked the disinfectant and bandages inside.

He also changed into a more form-fitting tracksuit that wouldn't be easy to grab.

Finally, he stood before the mirror, looking at the face that resembled Kiyotaka's but was etched with gravity.

"Ayanokoji Yuefeng, you didn't come here to be cannon fodder.

Whoever wants to make me 'accidentally' withdraw from the Sports Festival better think twice." He said to his reflection.

The next day, the sun blazed fiercely, not a cloud in the sky.

It was perfect weather for competition—and also the kind of weather that made blood run hot and accidents frequent.

On the campus's massive field, colorful flags fluttered, and the crowd buzzed with noise.

The stands were packed with students and some faculty who had come to watch. Each class had its designated area, cheers, shouts, and the clatter of support props merging into a chaotic, fervent ocean.

The Obstacle Relay was scheduled for the afternoon, as one of the major team events.

In the morning, other individual and group events took place. Yuefeng participated in a few nondescript sprints and long jumps, scoring middling results—neither outstanding nor last—perfectly fitting his strategy of "staying low and not drawing attention."

He saw Sudo Ken from Class D dominate the sprints, drawing gasps of amazement.

Horikita Suzune also performed well in certain technical events.

Kiyotaka... Kiyotaka seemed to have joined all the most inconspicuous, least physically demanding events, with results consistently in the lower-middle range, perfectly embodying what it meant to be "mediocre."

After a brief lunch break, the afternoon's main event began. The Obstacle Relay course was set up to be quite challenging: balance beams, low-crawl nets, tire arrays, climbing rope nets, mud pits... and finally a straight sprint.

Each class sent four contestants (gender unrestricted, though Class C's all-male lineup was clearly Ryuen's style) to complete all obstacles in relay fashion.

Class C's order was: First leg—a fast but hot-tempered male student easily provoked.

Second leg—Ishizaki Daichi.

Third leg—Yuefeng.

Fourth leg—another burly male student with strong sprinting ability.

Ryuen himself didn't compete; instead, he stood at the sidelines with his arms crossed in the most conspicuous spot, like a lion surveying his territory.

The contestants from each team warmed up behind the starting line, the atmosphere so tense it could almost be wrung dry.

Yuefeng loosened his wrists and ankles, his gaze quickly sweeping across the track, especially the key points where he needed to receive the baton and pass through.

He could feel Ishizaki's undisguised, malicious glare, as if saying, "Just you wait."

"On your marks—get set—"

The starting gun fired!

The first-leg runners shot out like arrows from a bow.

Class C's first leg sprinted fast, but while crossing the balance beam, they had a slight physical contact with a runner from Class B next to them. Both wobbled, losing a bit of time, and by the handoff, they had fallen to fourth place.

Ishizaki grabbed the baton, let out a roar, and charged forward like a wild bull.