Dragon's Strife

6:30 AM, the second day of the Sports Festival.

The atmosphere in the main stadium was even heavier than yesterday. Following the fierce competition and various unexpected incidents on the first day, the relationships between the four classes had reached a breaking point.

In the Class A area, Kohei Katsuragi was giving instructions to a group of solemn-faced students. Arisu Sakayanagi sat in her wheelchair with a hardcover book spread across her lap, appearing as if the surrounding commotion had nothing to do with her, though her gaze occasionally drifted toward the Class D area.

In the Class C area, Kakeru Ryuen was surrounded by a small group, whispering instructions. Albert Yamada was loosening his shoulders, his eyes fixed fiercely on Ken Sudo of Class D—though Sudo had an injured ankle, Ryuen's rage had clearly shifted to the entirety of Class D, especially Kiyotaka Ayanokoji.

The atmosphere in the Class B area was somewhat delicate. Honami Ichinose was trying her best to maintain her usual gentle smile, but the shadow left by the Tetsuya Hamaguchi incident was evident. Mitsuki Shibata and a few other girls were huddled together, whispering and glancing toward Class A and Class D from time to time.

In the Class D area, Yosuke Hirata was giving a final pep talk: "Today's individual events are the key to scoring points! Everyone, give it your all, but safety comes first, understand?"

"Understood!"

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji stood at the edge of the formation, looking at the schedule in his hand. Today's key events included:

Morning: Men's 1500m Run (Yukimura, Hondo) Women's 800m (Kei Karuizawa, Airi Sakura) Combat Exhibition Match (Ayanokoji vs. Albert)—an event added to the schedule only yesterday.

Afternoon: High Jump (Horikita) Swimming Relay (Sudo is absent due to injury, adjustments required) Closing Ceremony and Awards

Combat Exhibition Match... Ayanokoji's gaze lingered on this item the longest. This was clearly Ryuen's handiwork, intended to "teach him a lesson" in a public setting.

"Ayanokoji, that Albert..." Hirata walked over, looking worried. "He's a karate black belt with immense strength. You need to be careful."

"I know," Ayanokoji said calmly. He had already used [Tactical Deduction (Intermediate)] last night to simulate the match against Albert, resulting in a win rate of approximately 75%. But that was a theoretical value; actual combat would have variables.

At 7:00 AM sharp, Manabu Horikita announced the start of the second day's competition.

The first event of the morning was the men's 1500m.

As Yukimura and Hondo stepped onto the starting line, the Class C participants flashed them provocative smiles. After the starting gun fired, the two Class C runners immediately adopted a tactical approach—they didn't care about their own placement, instead sticking to Yukimura and Hondo for the entire race, constantly using their bodies to squeeze, block, and even secretly pull at them.

"That's too obvious!" someone in the stands shouted.

But from the referee's angle, these small movements were hard to see. Yukimura tried to accelerate to shake them off, but his opponents clung to him tightly. During the final 300-meter sprint, one of the Class C runners "accidentally" stepped on Yukimura's running shoe, causing it to come off.

Yukimura stumbled a few steps, nearly falling, and ultimately only managed to take fourth place. Hondo finished fifth.

When the two returned to the Class D area, Yukimura was pale with rage: "They did that on purpose!"

"Calm down," Ayanokoji said, pressing a hand on his shoulder. "They want to provoke us into losing control in the later events."

"Are we just going to let it slide?"

"Of course not," Ayanokoji said, looking at Ryuen in the distance. "But revenge requires the right timing."

In the following women's 800m, Kei Karuizawa and Airi Sakura participated. This time, Class C had no female participants in the event, but Class A did.

After the race began, Karuizawa ran in the lead, with Sakura following closely behind. However, at the final 100-meter turn, a Class A girl suddenly accelerated, and while overtaking Sakura, her elbow "inadvertently" struck Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura let out a cry and lost her balance, falling to the ground. Her knees and elbows were badly scraped, and blood immediately began to seep through.

"Sakura!" Karuizawa looked back and immediately turned around to return to her.

The referee blew the whistle to pause the race. The medical team quickly entered the field.

"I... I'm fine..." Sakura fought back tears, but she couldn't stand up.

By the time Ayanokoji and Hirata arrived, Sakura had already been placed on a stretcher.

"What's the situation?" Hirata asked the doctor.

"Severe abrasions on the knees, they need to be disinfected and bandaged. Same for the elbows. She cannot participate in any more events today," the doctor shook his head.

Karuizawa helped Sakura to the infirmary; before leaving, she glanced at Ayanokoji, her eyes filled with fury.

This was already the third injured participant from Class D.

"Ryuen... and Class A..." Hirata clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

Ayanokoji said nothing. He looked toward the podium, where Manabu Horikita was talking to several teachers with a stern expression. Clearly, the string of "accidents" had already caught the school's attention.

But the competition had to go on.

At 9:30 AM, at the central ring of the main stadium.

"The Combat Exhibition Match is about to begin!" the broadcast announced. "Will the participants—Ayanokoji Kiyotaka of Class D and Albert Yamada of Class C—please come to the ring to prepare!"

The entire stadium's attention was focused on them.

The Combat Exhibition Match was a newly added event for this Sports Festival, utilizing simplified mixed martial arts rules: strikes to vital points were prohibited, while grappling, joint locks, and pins were allowed. The match would end by tapping out or referee decision.

The ring was a temporary structure covered with soft mats. Albert was already standing in one corner; he wore only athletic shorts, revealing his robust muscles as he performed final stretches. Standing nearly two meters tall and weighing over a hundred kilograms, he looked like a humanoid beast on the ring.

Ayanokoji climbed onto the ring from the other side. He wore standard athletic gear, his frame appearing thin by comparison.

"The height and weight difference is completely lopsided..."

"How is he supposed to fight this?"

"Class C is clearly looking for revenge..."

The audience murmured in heated discussion.

After the referee briefly explained the rules, he signaled for the two to touch gloves.

Albert looked down at Ayanokoji and said in stiff Japanese, "Ryuen told me to... break one of your arms."

He spoke with blunt, undisguised intent.

"You can try," Ayanokoji replied calmly.

The moment their gloves touched, Albert suddenly exerted force, his massive fist hurtling straight toward Ayanokoji's face!

A sneak attack right from the start!

"Despicable!" the audience gasped.

But Ayanokoji's reaction was faster. [Insight (Basic)] had already captured the subtle contraction of Albert's muscles, and [Combat Mastery (Master)] allowed his body to react instinctively.

A side-step, a duck, and a step forward—all executed in one fluid motion.

Albert's fist grazed past Ayanokoji's hair. At the same time, Ayanokoji had already slipped into Albert's inner circle, his right hand forming a palm strike that slammed heavily into his ribs.

"Thud!"

A dull, heavy sound echoed. Albert let out a muffled grunt and took half a step back.

In the first exchange, Ayanokoji held the upper hand.

"Oh?" Sakayanagi Arisu leaned forward slightly in her wheelchair, a glint of interest flashing in her eyes.

Kakeru Ryuen's expression darkened.

On the ring, Albert rubbed his ribs, his gaze turning serious. No longer underestimating his opponent, he assumed a standard combat stance and slowly closed the distance.

The two began to circle each other. Albert probed constantly, searching for an opening. Ayanokoji maintained his distance, observing his opponent's habits.

Thirty seconds later, Albert suddenly launched a low sweep, targeting Ayanokoji's supporting leg. It was a vicious move; if it connected, the knee joint could be severely damaged.

Ayanokoji didn't try to tank the hit; instead, he hopped lightly, simultaneously kicking Albert's shin.

"Crack!"

A precise hit. Albert frowned in pain, his momentum slowing slightly.

But this was a trap! The moment Ayanokoji landed, Albert lunged forward, arms wide, attempting to use his weight to pin him down.

A "bear hug" from jiu-jitsu—once caught, it is nearly impossible to break free given the disparity in strength.

Ayanokoji didn't retreat; he advanced. Just before Albert could wrap his arms around him, Ayanokoji dropped his center of gravity and executed a textbook judo "Osoto Gari"!

Using his opponent's force against him!

Albert's massive body was lifted by his own momentum, and he was thrown, slamming heavily onto the mat.

"Boom!"

The entire arena erupted in an uproar.

"Beautiful!"

"That was amazing!"

"That Ayanokoji... he's actually this strong?!"

Albert struggled to get up, but Ayanokoji was already on him, his right hand locking onto Albert's wrist and his left leg pinning his shoulder—a standard Juji Gatame was locked in!

Once fully secured, Albert's arm would likely dislocate.

"Do you yield?" Ayanokoji asked.

Albert gritted his teeth, attempting to break free, but with his joint locked, he couldn't muster the strength.

The referee began the count: "One, two..."

Just when everyone thought the match was decided, a flash of madness appeared in Albert's eyes. Ignoring the risk of further injury to his arm, he used every ounce of his strength to violently roll!

"Snap!"

The sickening sound of a joint popping out of place echoed through the arena.

Albert had forced his way out of the Juji Gatame, the price being a dislocated right elbow. Yet, as if he couldn't feel the pain, he threw a left hook toward Ayanokoji's head!

Ayanokoji rolled away, the wind of the punch grazing his cheek.

The two opened up the distance again. Albert stood tall, his right arm hanging unnaturally, yet he didn't seem to care.

"He's crazy... that guy is insane..." someone in the stands muttered.

Kakeru Ryuen smiled, a twisted, savage grin. This was the effect he wanted—either Ayanokoji would be severely injured, or Albert would demonstrate the "madness" of Class C to intimidate everyone.

On the ring, Ayanokoji's expression changed for the first time. It wasn't fear, but a cold, analytical scrutiny.

[System, analyze the opponent's status.]

[Analyzing... Target's adrenaline is surging, pain perception is temporarily suppressed, but the right arm is unusable. Attack patterns will rely more on the left hand and legs. Weakness: Balance is compromised, right-side defense is wide open.]

Understood.

Ayanokoji took a deep breath and reset his stance.

Albert charged again, this time with a left jab followed by a low right kick—even with his right arm out of commission, he was determined to use his leg.

Ayanokoji didn't dodge or retreat. Just as the fist was about to connect with his face, he suddenly ducked, and in the instant he evaded the blow, he lunged into Albert's guard.

Close-quarters combat!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A rapid-fire series of strikes followed. Ayanokoji's fists, elbows, and knees rained down like a storm onto Albert's abdomen, ribs, and thighs.

Albert tried to grab Ayanokoji with his left hand, but each attempt was skillfully deflected. He tried to use his weight to pin him down, but Ayanokoji was as slippery as an eel.

Twenty seconds, thirty seconds...

Albert's breathing grew ragged. The effects of the adrenaline were fading, the pain was returning, his dislocated right arm throbbed with agony, and his left-handed strikes grew increasingly sluggish.

Finally, after a knee strike landed squarely in his gut, Albert doubled over, his movements stalling for a split second.

Opportunity!

Ayanokoji circled to his right, raised his right leg high, and delivered a precise axe kick that landed heavily on the back of Albert's neck!

It wasn't a strike to a vital point, but it was enough to cause a momentary lack of oxygen to the brain.

Albert's vision went black; his massive frame swayed, then crashed to the floor.

The referee rushed over to start the count: "One, two, three... ten!"

"Match over! The winner—Class D, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka!"

After a brief silence, applause erupted like thunder.

Ayanokoji stood on the mat, his breathing slightly uneven, sweat on his forehead, but his eyes remained calm. He looked toward Ryuen standing off to the side.

Kakeru Ryuen was watching him too, their gazes colliding in the air.

No words were exchanged, but the meaning was clear:

You lost.

During the lunch break, at the infirmary.

Ayanokoji came to visit Airi Sakura. Her knee had already been bandaged, but it was still seeping blood.

"I'm sorry..." Airi's eyes were red. "I couldn't get any points..."

"It's not your fault," Ayanokoji said. "The person from Class A hit you on purpose. The referee has already disqualified her."

"Really?"

"Yes," Ayanokoji nodded. "President Horikita handled it personally. That girl has been banned from all remaining events."

That counted as a small measure of justice.

Kei Karuizawa was also in the infirmary keeping Airi company. Seeing Ayanokoji, she walked over and whispered, "I heard some news."

"About what?"

"Arisu Sakayanagi," Kei said. "She isn't participating in any individual events this afternoon, but... she applied to be a 'special referee' for the swimming relay."

A special referee? For the swimming relay?

Ayanokoji frowned. The swimming relay was the final event of the afternoon and carried a high point value. Sakayanagi applying to be a referee clearly had an ulterior motive.

"Anything else?"

"Regarding Class B..." Kei hesitated. "Tetsuya Hamaguchi has withdrawn. Ichinose said he was 'feeling unwell,' but I heard he received an anonymous letter containing more detailed photos of his younger brother."

Ayanokoji's eyes turned cold.

Class A was stopping at nothing. First, they used underhanded tactics to make Hamaguchi "slip up" during the tug-of-war, and now they were continuing to apply pressure, forcing him to withdraw entirely to weaken Class B.

"Also," Kei's voice dropped lower, "I noticed Kikyo Kushida spending a lot of time with Shiho Manabe from Class C this morning. They went to the restroom together twice, and they were in there for a long time each time."

Kikyo Kushida and Shiho Manabe? How did those two end up together?

Ayanokoji recalled that Manabe was the girl who had tried to poison them on the Uninhabited Island. She had been publicly humiliated by Ryuen and must have harbored resentment. And as for Kushida... she had always been hostile toward him.

If those two teamed up, what might they do?

"Keep observing," Ayanokoji said. "But don't get too close; be careful not to be noticed."

"Understood."

After leaving the infirmary, Ayanokoji ran into Suzune Horikita in the hallway.

"Something up?" she asked.

"How are you preparing for the high jump this afternoon?"

"If I perform as usual, top three shouldn't be a problem," Horikita paused. "But I heard that Masayoshi Hashimoto from Class A also signed up for the high jump. He might pull some dirty tricks."

Masayoshi Hashimoto, a troublesome figure from Class A, had an impulsive personality and a penchant for violence. The Class A girl who had knocked down Airi that morning had been acting under his orders.

"Be careful," Ayanokoji said. "If he does anything unusual, it's better to forfeit the match than to get injured."

"I know."

The two walked in silence for a while. Horikita suddenly asked, "The match this morning... why do you know how to fight?"

"I've learned a little."

"Just 'a little'?" Horikita looked at him. "That level of skill isn't something you reach by just dabbling."

Ayanokoji did not answer. There were some things he could not say.

Horikita did not press the issue, changing the subject instead: "My brother asked me to tell you that the Student Council will be tightening supervision for the afternoon matches. But some 'accidents,' even when you know they are intentional, are very difficult to find evidence for."

"I understand."

"Therefore, the best defense is to render their methods ineffective." Horikita stopped walking. "You have to win—win in a way that leaves them with nothing to say."

After she finished speaking, she turned and left.

Ayanokoji watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.