Intense! Battle of the Orbs

On a vast, boundless ocean, a massive vessel was slowly moving forward, its silver-white side plated with the golden logo "Speranza."

The sea was calm and tranquil, much like the faces of certain emotionless protagonists who couldn't manage a single expression.

On the deck, a blonde man was sunbathing.

He wore a smile, one hand stroking his fine hair while the other held a mirror.

The breeze blew gently, carrying his thoughts toward the blue sea and sky... for a second, before they returned to the mirror in his hand, where he continued to admire his own magnificent appearance.

Deep in the moment, savoring it like sweet nectar, he couldn't help but let out a heartfelt exclamation:

"I am just so beautiful~"

His voice was robust and resonant, full of vigor, so much so that it intruded directly into the ears of a young girl standing by the railing, enjoying the scenery alone.

"Psychopath!"

Clearly, the voice had offended the girl.

Himeno Yuki pursed her lips, and this time, she cursed without any restraint.

She didn't know why it was such a coincidence that on a cruise ship with 160 people, she would happen to run into this blonde narcissist, as if it had been arranged by some unseen force.

She felt helpless, yet unable to defy the powers of metaphysics, so she could only silently pray for the man to admire himself quietly and not say anything else uncomfortable to ruin the view.

However, just as she turned back to continue enjoying the blue sea and sky before her, another familiar voice came from behind:

"Himeno-san, why are you daydreaming here alone? Come over and join us~"

"Yeah, yeah, it's so boring by yourself."

"Since everyone is out to have fun, it's great to spend time together and strengthen our bonds."

But I feel like there's no room left to strengthen our bonds; if we get any closer, I'm going to lose it.

Looking at the three enthusiastic girls before her, Himeno Yuki felt troubled in her heart.

She was someone who cared about personal boundaries and preferred to keep some space for herself.

However, ever since she arrived in Class B, she had felt an unprecedented level of enthusiasm; there was almost always someone around her asking after her well-being, and even when she returned to the dormitory, there were endless group calls and non-stop private messages.

She didn't want to be a lesbian!

But she didn't know how to refuse; she was a people-pleaser of the most classic variety.

Indeed, she admitted that the people in Class B were very enthusiastic—so enthusiastic that they wouldn't let a single classmate feel ignored; it was truly a warm and wonderful big family.

But for someone with her personality, this kind of affection was a tremendous pressure...

"Okay, I'll be right there~"

And just like that, she had agreed, unable to control herself.

Whenever someone from the class invited her, the thought, "It would be too cold to reject these enthusiastic angels," would always linger in her mind, swaying her words, and usually ending in a "Sure" or "Okay, no problem," which left her feeling very distressed.

Sigh.

She sighed slightly, unable to help but dislike her own personality; if only she could be decisive and refuse...

"Sorry, I refuse."

...wait, what?

Just as she was about to follow the girls who had invited her, that same robust and resonant voice reached her ears again.

She looked over and saw a boy with green hair saying something to the blonde man, his smile slightly bitter, much like the one she had just forced onto her own face.

"Koenji-kun, the classmates are all very enthusiastic. I think it's better to interact with them more..." Hirata said with a hint of distress, having exhausted himself trying to help the class move forward!

"Yo~ Hirata-boy, I'm not the only lone wolf in this class, am I? I suggest you try your luck with them first."

Koenji said with a look of complete comfort, still intoxicated by the sight of his own glorious face.

"Are you talking about Ayanokoji-kun?"

"Ayanokoji has started interacting with us more recently. He's even playing at the pool with Sudo and the others right now," Hirata said with a sincere expression.

"I don't think he considers you guys friends, though~ Shouldn't you consider whether you're just being delusional?"

Koenji said with a perpetually calm smile on his face, his seemingly innate confidence making Hirata dazed for a moment, a look of self-doubt flashing across his face.

"How could that be... I think Ayanokoji-kun is very happy to be with us, I can guarantee that!"

"Oh? Alright then, Hirata-boy, let's wait and see."

Having said that, Koenji suddenly stood up from his folding chair and walked toward the main body of the cruise ship, a smile of confidence hanging on his lips. He glanced at the second-floor pool area with great interest, his well-proportioned, toned muscles seemingly gleaming under the sunlight.

Hirata watched his back with a sense of helplessness, lamenting internally that he wished the class could come together sooner.

On the other side, seeing this scene, Himeno Yuki's opinion of the blonde man changed slightly. To be so calm and composed, to decisively refuse the good intentions of a classmate without any hesitation—that was actually quite impressive. It seemed she couldn't call him a psychopath anymore.

In a daze, she actually felt that Koenji's body, gleaming under the sun, was a little bit handsome?

"Psychopath."

A moment later, she couldn't help but curse at herself.

On the second deck of the cruise ship, in the pool area.

A group of girls in their prime were playing water dodgeball in the pool.

Among them were Kushida, Karuizawa, and Sakura from Class D, as well as Ichinose, Shiranami Chihiro, and several other girls from Class B.

They were all famous and notable figures!

They had been randomly divided into two teams and were playing and laughing together.

"Nice shot!"

"Oh man, that throw was way off."

"Report! I'm reporting that, that was a handball!"...

Under a parasol on the deck, Ayanokoji and several boys from Class D were watching the match with intense concern.

Although this match looked like a friendly game at first glance, in the eyes of Ayanokoji and the other boys, it was already an incredibly fierce battle of the spheres.

There were countless balls appearing on the field, so there was no longer any need to worry about the uneven distribution of possession.

Their eyes were even capable of occupying multiple balls at once!

The dodgeball itself struggled to fly through the air, completely ignored.

The balls on their chests were merely bumping into each other, yet they were the center of everyone's attention.

As for the eyeballs of Ayanokoji and his friends, they could no longer keep up with the balls...

"It's so great that we didn't get expelled, Sudo~"

"Yeah!"

Ike and Sudo exclaimed with tears of joy in their eyes.