Summer Was Almost Here

"Splash."

Manabu Horikita climbed out onto the floor, water dripping steadily from his body onto the ground.

His gaze settled on Xia Mu.

Although he had lost, he wasn't particularly shaken.

No one was perfect.

But Xia Mu was the first person to make him feel even a little pressured.

Losing in a straightforward contest wouldn't have meant much. But Xia Mu seemed to have deliberately held back his speed, only to overtake Manabu and win at the last moment. That was what made him truly terrifying.

If he had used that speed from the start, Manabu probably wouldn't even have seen his tail.

Still, Manabu didn't call him out. Knowing how to hide one's abilities was something a powerful person ought to do.

"You win."

Before the referee, still stunned, could announce the result, Manabu spoke first. He took the towel his secretary handed him and dried his hair. "That was interesting."

Then he turned and headed for the changing room, leaving everyone staring at one another.

"The Student Council President actually lost? That's unbelievable!"

"What's so strange about that? Swimming isn't his strong suit. His strengths are managing the school and sports."

"That student must've been training hard at swimming just for today. Don't spread the word, or you'll only make him famous."

"Exactly. And he only won by a hair. Maybe the President got distracted, or wasn't even giving it his all."

But how could they know how much strength Xia Mu had used?

Xia Mu also took the towel Shiina offered him. Drying his hair, he headed into the changing room.

Compared to the excited students on both sides, the two people at the center of it all were almost unnervingly calm.

"Wait..."

As Xia Mu passed by her, Suzune Horikita reached out, wanting to call him to a stop. In the end, though, she lowered her hand in disappointment.

For a moment, she almost heard the sound of her heart breaking.

Her beloved big brother, whom she had regarded as a god, had actually lost...

Xia Mu, what else could you do?

She watched Xia Mu's retreating figure, her feelings tangled.

He was almost too capable, even if he still couldn't surpass her brother.

But he was still terrifying.

A breeze stirred Ayanokoji's bangs as he watched the changing room from within the crowd. No one knew what he was thinking.

When strong people met, the instinct to fight would only grow stronger.

The leaders of the other three first-year classes all wore faint smiles.

Now the battles to come would be interesting.

Xia Mu had just entered the changing room when Manabu, already changed, came out.

As he passed Xia Mu, he stopped. "Keep working hard and earn my approval."

He knew what Xia Mu was after. He wanted to control Class D by gaining influence over Suzune, or perhaps he wanted power for himself.

Either way, as long as Xia Mu showed that he had the potential to help Suzune grow, Manabu wouldn't mind entrusting her to him.

"Your approval?"

Xia Mu merely smiled faintly and stepped inside.

That smile made Manabu's heart skip a beat. He frowned, sensing that something was off.

But he said nothing more. He walked out of the changing room and let the students' gazes wash over him.

"Xia Mu, you're amazing!"

On the way back, Shiina's heart was still pounding. She walked backward in front of Xia Mu, her eyes repeatedly scanning him. "Is there anything you can't do?"

As she spoke, she couldn't resist reaching out to poke at his face. "You're not secretly an alien, are you?"

"You're way too amazing."

He gave people the sense that he simply couldn't lose.

In a school full of monsters, that was really reassuring.

Now she was starting to worry about Long Yuan.

She hoped Xia Mu wouldn't break him.

Xia Mu scowled and knocked Shiina's hand away, then reached out and pinched her soft cheek. His victim cried out over and over, "Dame, dame, dame~"

She was as cute as a little lamb.

His competition with Manabu that day was just one part of his plan.

He had originally wanted to keep a low profile, but after thinking it over, he realized there wasn't much point.

Apart from attracting attention, getting targeted by all kinds of "geniuses" at school, and inviting one troublesome situation after another, what downside was there to keeping a high profile?

All right, it really was pretty chaotic.

But compared to what he stood to gain, it wasn't much of a problem.

For example, showing what he could do would make it easier to earn other people's trust.

After saying goodbye to Shiina, Xia Mu returned to his dorm. He sat on the balcony with his legs crossed, sipping tea at his leisure.

The sun sank in the west, casting a red glow over him.

Xia Mu took out his phone and called someone.

The call connected quickly. "So, are you satisfied?"

The person on the other end was silent for a moment before replying, "You did very well."

It was an extremely pleasant female voice, though slightly hoarse from smoking.

Students weren't allowed to smoke at this school.

"So, our deal?"

"It's on."

Xia Mu wasn't surprised by her answer.

He had already shown more than enough of what he could do.

"Then please settle the points from the previous two times," Xia Mu said softly, taking a sip of tea.

"Got it."

"Tch. You're the first person to ask a teacher for points."

The person on the other end paused, her voice low, sultry, and seductive. "But as long as you bring me what I want, I'll keep rewarding you..."

"Beep, beep, beep~"

Before she could finish, Xia Mu hung up.

Looking at her phone, the tall, well-built woman clicked her tongue. "How rude."

Back in his dorm, Xia Mu looked at the points that had just come through and felt satisfied.

Everything he did was ultimately in service of getting points or Skill Points.

He wouldn't do anything that brought him nothing in return.

Shiina was part of his plan too.

As for keeping her company while she read, that was simply a way for Xia Mu to relax in his spare time.

If people immersed themselves entirely in conflict, they would forget who they were and gradually become emotionless monsters.

Xia Mu wouldn't.

He had his own principles and limits—provided he could win, of course.

He drained his tea and gazed at the sun that had sunk completely beyond the horizon. His profile was hidden in shadow. "I'm really looking forward to summer vacation."

With that, he turned and went inside. The balcony door slid shut behind him with a "whoosh."

Not long after the swimming pool incident, the school notified the students to pack their luggage and assemble.

They were planning to take them on a luxurious half-month cruise.

The ordinary students were thrilled when they heard the news, thinking they'd get to go out and have fun.

The slightly cleverer students realized as soon as they heard that the school was preparing a special exam for them.

They weren't even letting them rest during summer vacation. How terrifying.

Still, if they could graduate from a school like this, they could easily become top performers in their respective fields out in the real world.

After all, this was an "experimental" school that the government spent vast sums of money every year to build.