Summer Vacation Approaches

"Splash."

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

His gaze remained fixed on Xia Mu.

Although he had lost, his composure remained largely unshaken.

No one is perfect; there is no such thing as a flawless human being.

Yet, for the first time, Xia Mu had exerted a subtle sense of pressure upon him.

Winning normally would be nothing, but the fact that Xia Mu seemed to be deliberately suppressing his speed, only to overtake and win at the very last moment, was the truly terrifying part.

If he had unleashed that kind of speed from the start, he likely wouldn't have even seen his shadow.

However, he did not point it out; knowing how to hide one's true strength was something a formidable person ought to do.

"You won."

Before the stunned referee could make the announcement, Manabu Horikita spoke first, then took a towel from his secretary to dry his hair. "That was interesting."

With that, he turned and headed toward the locker room, leaving the crowd to look at one another in bewilderment.

"The Student Council president actually lost? Isn't that unbelievable?"

"What's so strange about that? Swimming isn't his specialty; his strengths lie in school management and other sports."

"That student must have practiced swimming hard just for today. Everyone, don't spread this around, or it'll just make him famous."

"Exactly. Besides, he only won by a narrow margin. Maybe the president was distracted or simply wasn't using his full strength."

But how could they possibly know how much of his strength Xia Mu had actually used?

Xia Mu also took a towel from Shiina, drying his hair as he walked toward the locker room.

Compared to the agitated students on both sides, the two main participants were excessively calm.

"Wait..."

As Xia Mu passed by her, Suzune Horikita reached out as if to stop him, but ultimately let her hand fall in disappointment.

In a daze, she could almost hear the sound of a heart shattering.

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

Xia Mu, just what else are you capable of?

She watched Xia Mu's retreating back, her feelings incredibly complex.

He was omnipotent to an excessive degree, though still not quite a match for her brother.

But he was terrifying nonetheless.

Ayanokoji, standing within the crowd, watched the direction of the locker room. A light breeze stirred his hair, and no one knew what he was thinking.

When a strong person meets another strong person, the competitive spirit is inevitably ignited.

The leaders of the other three first-year classes all wore smiles on their faces.

This way, the coming struggle would be much more interesting.

Just as Xia Mu walked into the locker room, Manabu Horikita had already changed and was walking out.

He stopped as he passed Xia Mu. "Continue working hard to earn my recognition."

He knew what Xia Mu was trying to do—it was nothing more than controlling Class D by manipulating Suzune, or perhaps simply seeking power.

But regardless, as long as he could demonstrate the potential to help Suzune grow, Manabu Horikita didn't mind entrusting her to him.

"Recognition?"

Xia Mu merely smiled slightly and stepped inside.

That smile made Manabu Horikita's heart skip a beat. He frowned, feeling a vague sense that something was off.

But he said nothing more, stepping out of the locker room to accept the baptism of the students' gazes.

"Xia Mu, you're amazing!"

On the way back, the heart of Shiina, which had been pounding violently, still hadn't calmed down. She walked in front of Xia Mu, walking backward as she scanned him repeatedly. "Is there anything you can't do?"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but reach out to poke at Xia Mu's cheeks. "You aren't an alien in disguise, are you?"

"You're just too incredible."

He gave off a feeling that he would absolutely never lose.

In this school filled with monsters, it was truly reassuring.

Now, she was actually starting to worry about Long Yuan.

She hoped he wouldn't be broken by Xia Mu.

Xia Mu swatted Shiina's hand away with a dark expression, then reached out to pinch her soft cheeks, causing her to cry out in pain, "Dame, dame, dame~"

Like a little lamb, she was strangely cute.

Today's match against Manabu Horikita was merely a part of his plan.

Originally, he had intended to keep a low profile, but after some thought, he realized there was no real benefit to that.

Aside from attracting attention, being targeted by the various "geniuses" within the school, and dealing with endless trouble, were there really any downsides to acting high-profile?

Well, it was certainly quite chaotic.

But compared to the benefits gained, these things didn't really amount to much.

For instance, simply demonstrating his strength would make it easier to earn the trust of others, wouldn't it?

After saying goodbye to Shiina, Xia Mu returned to his dormitory, sat on the balcony with his legs crossed, and sipped his tea contentedly.

The sun was setting, and the lingering red glow of the twilight completely enveloped him.

Taking out his phone, Xia Mu dialed a number.

The call was answered quickly. "How was it? Are you satisfied?"

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

It was an extremely pleasant female voice, though slightly raspy, likely caused by smoking.

This school did not allow students to smoke.

"And our deal?"

"It stands."

Xia Mu was not surprised by her response.

He had already demonstrated sufficient strength.

"Then, please settle the points from the previous two times," Xia Mu said softly, sipping his tea.

"Understood."

"Tsk, you really are the first person to demand points from a teacher."

At this, the person on the other end paused, her voice becoming seductive, low, and highly alluring. "But as long as you bring me what I want, I will keep rewarding you..."

"Beep, beep, beep~"

Before she could finish her sentence, Xia Mu hung up the phone.

Looking at her phone screen, the tall, slender woman clicked her tongue. "How rude."

Back at the dormitory, Xia Mu felt satisfied as he looked at the points that had just arrived in his account.

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

He would never do anything without a return.

Including Shiina, she was also just a part of his plan.

As for reading books with her, that was merely a way for Xia Mu to relax during his spare time.

If one were to immerse themselves entirely in conflict, they would eventually forget their true self and gradually turn into a monster without emotions.

Xia Mu would not let that happen.

He had his own principles and bottom line, provided, of course, that he could win.

Draining his tea in one gulp, Xia Mu gazed at the sun that had completely vanished into the distance, his profile hidden in the shadows. "I really am looking forward to the upcoming summer vacation."

As his voice faded, he turned and stepped into the dormitory, the balcony door sliding shut with a "clatter" from the inside.

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

They planned to treat them to a luxurious half-month cruise on a luxury liner.

Ordinary students were extremely excited upon hearing this, thinking they could finally go out and have some fun.

But the slightly smarter students knew immediately that the school was about to arrange a special exam for them.

It was truly terrifying that they wouldn't even let them rest during summer vacation.

However, if one could graduate from this school, they would indeed be able to easily become top-tier players in any field once they entered society.

After all, this was an "experimental" school that the government spent a massive amount of financial resources to build every year.