Trouble

Inside the infirmary.

Kanji Ike's ankle was swollen; the doctor diagnosed a mild sprain and ordered three days of rest.

"Three days..." Hirata looked grim. "The Sports Festival is in five days. Even if he recovers, his performance will be affected."

Kanji Ike lowered his head. "I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault," Ayanokoji said. "The track was tampered with. The goal was to reduce our numbers."

"Was it Class C?" Sudo clenched his fists. "I'm going to settle this with them!"

"Calm down," Ayanokoji blocked him. "There's no evidence. Besides, this doesn't seem like Ryuen's style. He prefers direct, violent methods rather than these sneaky little tricks."

"Then who could it be?"

"Possibly Sakayanagi," Ayanokoji said. "A warning, or a test. To see how we react."

"So what do we do?"

"First, tighten security during training," Ayanokoji said. "Second, prepare substitutes. Third..."

He paused. "It's time we started our counterattack."

"How do we counterattack?"

"Start by uncovering the truth," Ayanokoji said. "There are cameras on the field. They might not have caught it, but it's worth a try. Also, check if other classes have had similar accidents."

After dividing the tasks, everyone went their separate ways.

Ayanokoji returned to the field alone, standing where Kanji Ike had fallen.

Tactical Deduction (Intermediate)

activated once more.

Simulation scenario: If Kanji Ike cannot compete, who is the best substitute?

Option one: Haruki Yamauchi. Average speed, but decent stamina. The problem is he's inconsistent and prone to nervousness.

Option two: Ryotaro Hondo. Good endurance, but lacks explosive power.

Option three:...

Simulation result: The best substitute is—Ayanokoji himself adjusting to a later leg, allowing a relatively weaker runner to take a shorter distance.

But this would disrupt the entire tactical arrangement.

Troublesome.

Just then, his phone vibrated. A new message, from Arisu Sakayanagi.

"Round one, it seems I've scored first."

It was her, as expected.

Ayanokoji replied: "The competition hasn't started yet; it's too early to claim points."

A few seconds later, a reply: "Then I look forward to your performance. Also, a friendly tip: the real loophole isn't on the track, but in the rules. Here's another clue—'substitute'."

Substitute?

Ayanokoji frowned. Do the rules allow for substitutes? It didn't seem to be explicitly written in the fine print...

He immediately sent a message to Akane Tachibana: "Are temporary player changes allowed for the relay race? What if a participant is injured?"

A few minutes later, the reply came: "In principle, changes are not allowed unless there is a medical certificate for injury. However, the application must be submitted one hour before the start and approved by the referee panel."

Not allowed in principle, but there can be exceptions.

This might be the loophole.

If a class intentionally makes a key player "injured" and then swaps in a stronger substitute, they could disrupt the opponent's tactical arrangement.

But it requires a doctor's note and an advance application.

What would Sakayanagi do? Forge a certificate? Or exploit other loopholes in the rules?

Ayanokoji pondered, then made a decision.

He needed to see someone.

At dusk, in the special building, the Class A area.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood outside Arisu Sakayanagi's classroom. The door was open, and she was the only one inside, reading a book.

"Please, come in." Sakayanagi didn't look up.

Ayanokoji walked in and closed the door.

"Faster than I expected." Sakayanagi put down her book and smiled. "Have you figured it out?"

"Regarding the 'substitute' loophole," Ayanokoji said. "The rules allow for injury replacements, but they require proof. How do you plan to bypass that restriction?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because if I don't play along, your game won't be fun."

Sakayanagi laughed, looking genuinely amused. "Interesting. You really are very interesting, Ayanokoji-kun."

She stood up and walked to the window, leaning on her cane. "It's actually quite simple. The rules state that a 'doctor's certificate is required,' but they don't specify it must be from the school doctor. What if the certificate is issued by an outside physician?"

"The school will not acknowledge off-campus medical certificates."

"Under normal circumstances, no." Ayanokoji turned around. "But what if that doctor happens to be the personal physician of a certain board member? And what if that board member happens to have a vested interest in the outcome of this Sports Festival?"

High-level interference.

This went beyond the scope of a student's game.

"You're pulling strings with your family's connections?"

"A little bit." Ayanokoji shrugged. "After all, a game is only interesting if it's fair. If you can't even handle this level of 'external factors,' it simply means you aren't qualified to be my opponent."

Cruel, but realistic.

"So you're going to have one of Class A's key players 'injured,' then swap in a stronger substitute?"

"Perhaps." Ayanokoji remained noncommittal. "Perhaps not. Maybe this is just a feint, and the real killing blow lies elsewhere. Who knows?"

Psychological warfare.

"Thank you for the heads-up," Ayanokoji said. "I will be prepared."

"Good." Ayanokoji sat back down. "The second round has officially begun. I look forward to your performance at the Sports Festival, Ayanokoji-kun."

Ayanokoji left the Class A classroom.

The hallway was quiet. He walked while lost in thought.

The information Ayanokoji revealed could be true, or it could be a misdirection. Regardless, he now had a direction to prepare for.

Medical certificates, board members, external factors...

This game was more complex than he had anticipated.

But that was fine.

He had his own trump cards as well.

[Ding! Detected that the host has initially seen through the opponent's strategy. Hidden quest "Game of the Wise" progress updated.]

[Current progress: Clue collection (2/3)]

[Hint: The remaining key clue is related to "scoring weight."]

Scoring weight?

Ayanokoji stopped in his tracks.

I see... The loophole might not be in the substitution rules themselves, but in how points are calculated after a player is swapped.

If the "strength assessment score" of the replacement athlete differs from the original, would it affect the class's total score weighting?

This required verification.

He quickened his pace and headed toward the library.

The prelude to the Sports Festival had already begun.