You Just Wait

As expected, one of the Class C students pulled out his phone and made a call. Then the two of them left the fire hydrant area and headed in another direction.

"Follow them," Ayanokoji said.

The surveillance footage switched. The two walked to the back of the Balance Beam Relay area, where some spare equipment was piled up. One of them crouched down, seemingly slipping something beneath the balance beam's support.

"Lubricant," Ibuki immediately concluded. "If they apply it to the joints in the supports, the balance beam could loosen or even collapse during the event."

That was vicious. If the balance beam collapsed while someone was competing, they could easily get hurt.

"Notify the judges," Ayanokoji told the security guard. "Now."

The guard picked up his radio. "Attention, judges. There's a safety hazard at the balance beam area. Please suspend the event and inspect the equipment."

An announcement sounded over the speakers. "The Balance Beam Relay is suspended. All competitors, please leave the area and wait for the inspection."

Yamauchi and the other competitors left the area, looking confused. The judges and staff began inspecting the balance beams.

They soon found clear lubricant at the joints in the supports.

"This was deliberate sabotage!" one of the judges said angrily.

The two Class C students tried to slip away, but the security guards stopped them.

"Come with us."

The crisis had been averted.

[ Ding! Malicious action "Physical Sabotage (Balance Beam)" prevented in advance. ]

[ Bonus reward: "Crisis Prevention" ability experience +50 ]

When they returned to the Class D area, Hirata came over. "How did it go?"

"It's handled," Ayanokoji said simply. "Two Class C students were caught. The event will be delayed, but everyone's safe."

"That's great." Hirata breathed a sigh of relief.

But Ayanokoji knew it wasn't over yet.

Ryuen had lost two of his men. He'd only get more reckless.

And there were still more events in the afternoon.

At three o'clock, the Sports Festival entered its second half.

Class D was currently in third place, behind only Class A and Class B. If they stayed there, they would likely finish third overall and fail the system's task.

They had to find a way to earn more points.

The next key event was "Directional Throwing," in which Ryotaro Hondo was competing.

The rules were simple: competitors stood at a designated spot and threw a javelin at a target twenty meters away. The target had ten rings, with ten points for the center and one point for the outermost ring. Each competitor got five throws, and their total score was tallied.

Hondo had a strong throwing arm. During practice, he could consistently hit the eight-ring or better.

But there was a problem: Class C had also entered someone in the event—Daichi Ishizaki. He was just as strong, and he was sure to pull something.

"Hondo." Ayanokoji found him before the event. "Keep an eye on Ishizaki while you're throwing. He might make noise to distract you just as you throw."

"What should I do?"

"Wear earplugs." Ayanokoji handed him a pair of noise-reducing earplugs. "They won't block out everything, but they'll reduce the distraction. Also, take three deep breaths before each throw, and don't look in his direction."

"Got it."

The event began. Sure enough, every time Hondo prepared to throw, Ishizaki loudly coughed or stamped his foot nearby.

But Hondo wore his earplugs and focused on his form.

First throw: nine points.

Second: eight points.

Third: ten points! Bull's-eye!

Cheers erupted from the Class D area.

Ishizaki's expression grew darker and darker. On his fourth throw, he "accidentally" dropped the javelin in his hand, making a loud noise.

Hondo's hand trembled, and his throw went wide: six points.

"He did that on purpose!" someone in the stands shouted.

The judge warned Ishizaki.

For his final throw, Hondo steadied himself and scored nine points.

Total: 42 points. He was currently in first place.

It was Ishizaki's turn. He took a deep breath and threw.

But his movements were clearly rushed. His five throws scored eight, seven, eight, six, and seven points. Total: 36 points, putting him in third place.

Hondo won the event, earning 25 valuable points for Class D.

"Great job!" Hirata said excitedly, patting Hondo on the shoulder.

Ayanokoji nodded too. But he noticed Ishizaki glare viciously at Hondo as he left the field, then head over to Ryuen.

The two spoke in low voices, and Ryuen's expression grew increasingly grim.

The calm before the storm.

At four o'clock came the last team event: "Team Tug-of-War."

It was the main event of the day, with a high point value. Each of the four classes sent ten competitors—five boys and five girls—to face off in pairs, with the winners advancing to the final.

The draw paired Class A against Class C, and Class B against Class D.

In other words, Class D would be up against its ally, Class B.

"This..." Hirata looked at Honami Ichinose.

Ichinose came over with a wry smile. "I didn't expect this, either. But it's still a competition. Let's each do our best."

"Okay," Hirata said with a nod.

But Ayanokoji noticed that Tetsuya Hamaguchi, among the Class B competitors, looked troubled. He kept glancing toward Class A.

Something was wrong.

Before the event began, Ayanokoji quietly said to Ibuki, "Keep an eye on Tetsuya Hamaguchi. If he does anything unusual, tell me right away."

"Understood."

In the first match, Class A faced Class C. As expected, Class A won easily. Three of its competitors were student athletes, and their strength overwhelmed the opposition.

The second match was Class B against Class D.

Both teams took their positions and gripped the rope.

"Ready—go!"

The judge's whistle blew, and both sides pulled at once.

On Class D's side, Sudo insisted on competing despite his injured foot. He stood at the back, relying mainly on his weight. Hirata, Hondo, Yamauchi, Ike, and the other boys stood up front, with the girls behind them.

Class B had also sent its strongest competitors. Ichinose was competing herself, with Hamaguchi in the middle of the line.

The match was deadlocked. The teams were evenly matched, and the red marker at the center of the rope shifted back and forth near the center line.

"Come on! Come on!"

The two classes' cheer squads shouted with all their might.

After about a minute of struggling, Class D began to gain the upper hand. Sudo's weight made a difference, and Class B was slowly being dragged over.

Then the unexpected happened.

Hamaguchi suddenly let go.

It wasn't a slip. He deliberately released the rope and stepped back, leaving the line.

Class B's pulling force instantly went unbalanced, and the whole team toppled backward like a row of dominoes.

"Ah!"

Class D yanked the rope over, and several Class B students fell to the ground.

The judge's whistle sounded. "Class D wins!"

But nobody cheered.

The Class B students got back up, and everyone looked at Hamaguchi. Ichinose's expression shifted from shock to anger. "Hamaguchi! What are you doing?!"

Hamaguchi lowered his head and said nothing.

"Say something!" Ichinose grabbed his shoulder. "Why did you let go?"

Hamaguchi looked up, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry... They said that if I didn't do it, they'd tell everyone about my brother..."

"Who? Who threatened you?"

Hamaguchi looked toward the Class A area.

Hashimoto Masayoshi was smiling as he waved at him.

So that was it. Class A didn't just want to win; they wanted to break up the alliance between Class D and Class B. If a Class B student deliberately lost to Class D, Class B would suspect that Class D had bribed one of their competitors, and the alliance would naturally fall apart.

What a vicious scheme.

"Ichिनose," Ayanokoji said as he walked over. "This isn't Hamaguchi's fault."

Ichinose took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I know. But..."

"The match must continue," the judge urged. "The final, Class A against Class D, starts in five minutes."

The final. An exhausted Class D against a well-rested Class A.

On top of that, Class D had just experienced a strange victory, and its morale had taken a hit.

"Can we... still win?" Kanji Ike asked quietly.

Everyone looked at Ayanokoji.

He was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Yes."

"How?"

"By using a strategy." Ayanokoji gathered everyone around him. "Listen. Here's what we'll do in the final..."

Five minutes later, the final began.

Class A's team was clearly stronger. They looked certain of victory.

Class D's team looked exhausted. Even Sudo was pale from the pain in his injured foot.

"Ready—go!"

The instant the whistle blew, Class D did something nobody had expected.

They let go.

Not everyone—just the three at the front: Hirata, Hondo, and Yamauchi. They all let go at once and stepped back.

Class A was pulling with all its might. When the resistance suddenly vanished, the whole team lurched backward as if launched by a spring.

"Thump, thump..."

All ten Class A competitors fell into a heap.

On Class D's side, the sudden release made some of them stumble, but the people behind them kept their footing.

The rope fell to the ground on Class D's side.

The judge froze for a few seconds, then blew his whistle. "Class D... wins?"

The entire field fell silent, then erupted in an even louder uproar.

"What kind of move was that?!"

"That's cheating!"

"Foul!"

The Class A competitors got up and angrily rushed over to the judge. "They let go on purpose! That's a foul!"

The judge hesitated too. The rules didn't say they couldn't let go, but it was clearly exploiting a loophole.

On the stage, Horikita Manabu picked up the microphone. "Quiet."

The crowd fell silent.

"After discussion, the judges have concluded," Horikita said calmly. "Class D's strategy was unusual, but it did not violate any existing rules. The result stands. Class D wins."

The crowd erupted.

Class A was furious, Class C jeered, Class B looked conflicted, and Class D was at first unable to believe it, then overcome with joy.

"We won! We won!"

Hirata and the others excitedly embraced.

Ayanokoji stood among them, his expression calm.

He looked toward the Class A area. Sakayanagi Arisu was applauding, a smile of appreciation on her face. She mouthed two words to Ayanokoji:

"Nicely done."

Ryuen Kakeru, meanwhile, looked livid.

At five o'clock, the first day of the Sports Festival came to an end.

The overall standings were announced:

Class A: 285 points

Class D: 255 points

Class B: 240 points

Class C: 180 points

Class D ranked second, meeting the minimum requirement for the system's task.

But Ayanokoji knew there was still another day tomorrow. And tomorrow, the conflicts that had arisen today would surely erupt even more violently.

On the way back to the dorms, he received two messages.

The first was from Sakayanagi Arisu: "Today's events were exciting. Tomorrow, I'll take things seriously."

The second was from Ryuen Kakeru. It contained just four words: "You just wait."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka put his phone away and looked toward the sunset in the distance.

The first day was over.