A Compromise

After that, Sudo also came over with Ike and Yamauchi, while Kiyotaka Ayanokoji was already sitting next to Horikita.

What are your thoughts?

As Shuichi Kanda turned around, Horikita asked him his question.

"I have no opinion. I'm not interested in sports, and I've already secured last place in every event."

Shuichi Kanda's perfunctory words made Horikita gasp for breath.

Then she suddenly realized that she seemed to have gotten used to relying on Shuichi Kanda. But when exactly did this start?

"It's okay, I'll get first place in all the mandatory events, and I'll participate in all the recommended events, so I'm sure I'll win, right?"

Shuichi Kanda's attempt to back down didn't discourage Sudo; on the contrary, it seemed to ignite his fighting spirit, and he spoke with a confident expression.

In fact, Shuichi Kanda's performance had always been so outstanding that Horikita was a little worried that Horikita would develop feelings for him. Now, finally, a project that he was good at had come up, and Shuichi Kanda was not good at at all.

If the timing hadn't been so inconvenient, he would have jumped up to celebrate.

But will things really be as easy as Sudo makes them out to be?

As expected, Horikita sighed immediately upon hearing Sudo's statement.

"Sigh, I was so foolish to have had any expectations of you."

"It's okay to have expectations of me occasionally. Although I'm not good at studying, my athletic ability is definitely not a problem. It's okay to trust me once in a while, right?"

Sudo scratched his head helplessly.

"I think Sudo is right. Those who are capable should try to get as many points as possible, while those who are not physically strong should try not to come in last place." Shuichi Kanda.

At this point, Shuichi Kanda smiled and said, "Anyway, I'm not needed for this exam, so good luck to you guys."

"Didn't you just say that people with poor physical strength should avoid coming in last place?"

Upon hearing Shuichi Kanda's dismissive remarks, Horikita immediately frowned.

"Heh, let me put it this way, expecting me to get good grades in this Sports Festival is just as difficult as expecting Sudo to get into the top ten in the class in the written exam."

"Sudo might be able to get into the top ten in the written exam with some effort, but expecting me to get good grades is just wishful thinking. It's something that can't be achieved through hard work alone."

"I may not have much else, but I am self-aware."

Shuichi Kanda had already made his point, so Horikita could only nod. Rather than forcing the physically weak Shuichi Kanda to get good grades, it was better to hope that the other students would work harder.

However, Shuichi Kanda was not actually as bad as he claimed. According to his own assessment, his physical abilities had basically recovered to the level of an average person.

Roughly the same level as a middle-aged person in their thirties or forties who doesn't exercise much?

"I think Shuichi is right. As long as everyone performs at their best, we should be able to win, right? If we still can't win that way, it means our overall strength is inferior to theirs."

Miyake, who had been listening attentively, expressed his support for Shuichi Kanda's idea.

"However, besides that, protecting the entry form is also very important. And without a doubt, the other classes will also protect that entry form and will absolutely not leak it."

Indeed, this exam was less a contest of pure strength and more a contest of strength and intelligence.

"But if the entry forms for all four classes are kept secret, wouldn't it all come down to luck?"

Shuichi Kanda glanced at Miyake speechlessly.

"Uh, did I say something wrong?"

"That's not entirely wrong, but that situation is unlikely to occur." Shuichi Kanda shook his head. "Because that would create too much uncertainty, so someone would definitely spread false information to mislead the other classes."

After hearing what Shuichi Kanda, Horikita Suzune nodded.

When the overall strength of each class is similar, arranging the order in which each person appears becomes crucial.

For example, if Sudo, who is absolutely certain to win first place, were to face off against seeded players from other classes, it would not only dampen their morale but also directly reduce the number of points the opponents would gain.

However, while this is the ideal scenario, it's far too wishful thinking and practically impossible to achieve.

Unless Class D obtains the order of appearance for the Ryuen classes.

No, even if they obtained the order of appearance for Ryuen class, they wouldn't dare to truly believe that it was their class's actual order of appearance.

What if this guy has a hidden bomb in his crotch and provides a fake order of appearance?

So, is this exam still a game of Mission: Impossible?

Hmm, I feel like I've said that phrase before...

Chapter 166 Compromise Solution

Clearly, twenty minutes is not enough time for Class D to achieve any significant progress.

After class, the students all headed towards the Gymnasium 1, where, according to the teachers, both students and teachers would meet during this class.

Shuichi Kanda, like everyone else, followed Class D to the Gymnasium 1.

The space here is about the same size as the school Auditorium, and even with more than 400 students and teachers from three grades, it doesn't feel crowded.

As soon as the assembled students sat down on the ground as instructed by the teachers, several students walked forward, which was very conspicuous among all the students, so almost all the students focused their attention on them.

"I'm Fujimaki from Class A, and I'm in charge of the Red Team's overall command this time."

One of the third-grade students who walked to the front said this.

Horikita, sitting not far from Shuichi Kanda, frowned, seemingly dissatisfied that it wasn't her brother who spoke up.

Oh, young lady, if you make your brother do everything, aren't you afraid of working him to death? Even the donkeys in the production team wouldn't be that strong!

Just as Shuichi Kanda was silently criticizing Horikita in his mind, Fujimaki on the stage continued, "Before the Sports Festival begins, I want to give the first-year students some advice. Some of you might think I'm meddling. But there are only three high school Sports Festival in total, so it's a very important event for us. Please keep this in mind, and the experience gained at the Sports Festival will definitely be useful in other opportunities."

"Furthermore, many of the exams in the future will seem like games at first glance, but no matter which one, they will all become crucial battles for survival in school. Perhaps you don't feel the reality yet, or lack motivation, but since you're going to compete, let's aim for victory. You must remember this passion."

I thought they'd say something inspiring, but this is all? What a load of motivational fluff! It's not appealing at all!

Such a vague explanation... third graders are truly remarkable!

"The only competition involving all grades is the final 1200-meter relay race. All other events are internal grade-level competitions. If you feel it's necessary, you can discuss your next steps now."

After Fujimaki finished speaking, Ichinose from Class A led her team to Class D, their destination being Shuichi Kanda's location.

Faced with Ichinose's powerful aura, the students of Class D instinctively made way for her.

Ichinose as Shuichi Kanda had guessed, Shuichi Kanda stopped less than a meter in front of him.

But don't you think it's too close?

I can smell your fragrance.

Besides, I'm sitting on the ground! Aren't you afraid of being exposed, or that I'll see something I shouldn't?

"Kanda, I didn't expect we'd be working together again. Please take good care of us from Class D from now on."

Upon hearing Ichinose's words, Shuichi Kanda out and placed his hand on Miyake's shoulder, then used his legs to support himself as he stood up.

"You've come to the wrong person this time. I don't know much about sports." He then looked at a figure in the crowd. "Hirata, it's for you."

"Huh?"

Shuichi Kanda was somewhat surprised by Ichinose Honami's decisive resignation.

"If you don't think Hirata is good enough, there's always Horikita here."

As he spoke, Shuichi Kanda pointed to Horikita Suzune standing to the side.

Shuichi Kanda's words created an awkward atmosphere.

"No, I'm sorry, I made a mistake." Ichinose to Horikita Hirata.

"There's no need for an apology, because judging from Class D's past performance, there's nothing wrong with considering Kanda as the class leader." Horikita stepped forward. "It's just that this project is probably a bit of a stretch for him."

Ah yes, yes, you're right.

"No, I don't think so. Although Kanda 'Kanda athletic ability may be a bit lacking, that doesn't mean he can't help us. Didn't we already prove that on the Uninhabited Island?"

Ichinose Shuichi Kanda was somewhat surprised by Ichinose's words. "I've already backed down, why are you bringing me up again?"

"But this situation is completely different from the Uninhabited Island, isn't it? This time the rules are very comprehensive, with absolutely no loopholes to exploit."

"Horikita is right, I'll just be a bystander this time, nothing more. By the way, is Ichinose planning to collaborate with us?"

Seeing that the two were about to go on and on, Shuichi Kanda quickly interrupted and steered the conversation back to where it started.

"Yes, that's what I think. After all, we all belong to the Red Team. So, I think it would be best if our partners could avoid arguments and cooperate with each other."

What do you think?

Shuichi Kanda looked at Hirata and Horikita.

I think it's fine.

I agree.

Horikita Hirata readily agreed to Ichinose's suggestion, because the reward for this exam was a complete rip-off.

If the larger group loses, 100 Class Points will be deducted directly, while only the class with the worst performance among the four classes will have 100 Class Points deducted. For Class D at present, the first priority is to contribute to the larger group and at least ensure the larger group's victory.

Furthermore, Horikita Manabu's class in Class 3-A also belongs to the Red Team, Horikita Suzune definitely doesn't want to hold her brother back at this time.

Therefore, after Ichinose made the suggestion, she immediately went along with it and reached a cooperation agreement.

Oh dear, you idiots, if I don't say anything, do you guys not know how to play?

"I see. So, Ichinose, how do you plan to cooperate?" Shuichi Kanda looked at Ichinose. "Would you prefer a basic level of cooperation, or a more in-depth collaboration?"

"Basic cooperation and in-depth cooperation?"

Ichinose tilted her head, her expression turning puzzled.

"Well, let me explain. The basic cooperation is..."

Shuichi Kanda was about to share his thoughts, a commotion suddenly arose not far away, causing him to look in that direction as well.

"Ryuen, are you serious about saying you don't intend to cooperate?" Katsuragi asked Ryuen in a deep voice.

"Are you being serious? You're just asking a question you already know the answer to," Ryuen said nonchalantly. "Besides, even if we cooperate, you wouldn't trust me, would you? In that case, why bother? Rather than a dishonest cooperation, why not just do our own thing? As long as we achieve considerable results, isn't that enough?"

Although Ryuen's words weren't pleasant to hear, they were indeed true: as long as their group achieved good results, then everything would be fine.

However, this might create a problem: since they are both in the White Team, they might face off against each other as the best of the best.

If this happens once, you'll lose several tens of points. If this happens several times, the score gap will widen significantly.

After saying that, Ryuen left the Gymnasium 1, while Katsuragi returned to the class's headquarters. Although Sakayanagi couldn't participate in the exam, she seemed to have chosen to contribute ideas to the class.

Withdrawing his gaze, Shuichi Kanda turned his attention to Ichinose, and also returned to the topic they had been discussing.

"Let's start with the basic cooperation plan. In team competitions, we'll cooperate with each other, while in individual competitions, we'll each play our own game."

This Sports Festival, when it comes to team competitions, only includes the mandatory events of Tug of War and Cavalry Battle; most of the events are individual competitions.

However, a team victory can significantly increase the points of the larger group, either the White Team or Red Team, so the outcome of the team competition has a substantial impact on the balance of power within the larger group.

"What about deeper cooperation?"

Ichinose didn't rush to agree to basic cooperation, but instead prepared to listen to another cooperation proposal. After all, comparing different options and choosing the more suitable one is a good idea.

Shuichi Kanda smiled and then presented the plan he categorized as a deep collaboration.

"Deep cooperation means bringing together all members of both classes to determine the order of appearance. In theory, this would allow us to get the maximum number of points."

"I disagree with deep cooperation."

Before Shuichi Kanda could finish speaking, Ichinose could even open his mouth, Horikita rejected the suggestion outright.

"If we choose to cooperate deeply, and the Red Team wins, who will take first place among the first-year students?"

"I also think it's not appropriate. Managing one class is already a difficult task. If students from two classes are combined, it might become even more difficult to control, which would be counterproductive."

Horikita views the issue from the perspective of winning or losing, while Hirata views it from the perspective of efficiency. However, although their perspectives differ, their conclusions are the same: they do not approve of deep cooperation.

Moreover, besides the two of them, even Ichinose nodded, clearly not optimistic about a deeper collaboration.

This is normal. The nature of this school makes it difficult for classes to build genuine trust with each other, even among the Class Ichinose, which had previously collaborated with each other.

When Shuichi Kanda said it, he didn't expect anyone to agree; he was just saying it casually. His real thoughts are below.

"Let's find a compromise then, to avoid the embarrassing situation of our two classes' top players being matched up."