Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, swimming pool.
"Umida!!! (It's the sea!!!)"
Morishita Ran, clad in a school swimsuit, spread her arms and legs before the pool, embracing the sun.
"What's with that obligatory pose?"
Kamuro Masumi turned her head and whispered to Amasawa Reigetsu.
"What's with that obligatory pose?"
Amasawa Reigetsu nodded.
"I heard that, you know!!! Since you're bullying me so much, I'll stop pretending. Actually, I'm the Lord of Fontaine, the true Hydro Dragon Sovereign—Morishita Ran!"
"Masquerade of the Guilty!!"
Morishita Ran pulled an umbrella out of her swimsuit and charged straight at Amasawa Reigetsu.
Wasn't that a few too many elements...?
But this was one of those things Class A students simply had to appreciate. This was our Morishita Ran. Did you have a Morishita Ran like this?
Class A's students were used to her, but the swimming instructor, teaching them for the first time, was completely dumbfounded, frozen in place as if petrified. The last time he'd seen someone like this was when he was teaching Class D. A blond musclehead had shouted something like, "I'm just too beautiful!" and set a new high school swimming record.
Wait, did you just say "petrified"?
Morishita Ran: Planet Befall!!
Amasawa Reigetsu nimbly dodged Morishita Ran's terrifying Genshin attack, then tried to stuff the umbrella she'd pulled out of her chest back where it belonged.
"Ehhhhh!!! This is a realistic world! You can't do that kind of thing here, you knowww~"
Amasawa Reigetsu: What the heck? So it was a magic prop.
Sakayanagi Arisu sat in the spectator stands, still wearing her default school uniform skin, smiling as she watched the group fool around below.
The swimming instructor was utterly stunned. Was this really Class A?
Sunlight streamed through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, falling across the shimmering surface of the pool. Class A's students had changed into their swimsuits and gathered by the pool to warm up for their first swimming lesson. The air carried a faint smell of disinfectant and the eager energy of the boys and girls.
The PE teacher finally collected himself and clapped his hands to quiet everyone down.
"Since this is your first swimming lesson, today will mainly be a test of your swimming ability. The rules are simple. We'll have a 50-meter freestyle race, with one winner from each group: boys and girls."
He paused, then dangled a prize sure to ignite everyone's enthusiasm.
"The winners will each receive 5,000 personal points. Of course, whoever finishes last will have to stay after class for extra physical training."
At the words "5,000 points," the group, which had been somewhat listless, immediately erupted.
"Heh heh heh... Those 5,000 points will be mine! I, Morishita Ran, Amazonian warrior and descendant of the Hydro Dragon Sovereign, shall claim them!"
Before the race began, Morishita Ran stood on the starting block with her hands on her hips and let out her signature chuuni cackle.
Class A's students knew Ran was a real character, but what if she didn't zone in this round? What if she went god mode? She was just that interesting. So no one said anything; they were actually looking forward to it.
At the teacher's whistle, Morishita Ran plunged into the water with great gusto—
And immediately started drowning.
Ran's out of her zone!!!
While the students around them were still cheering Ran on and even the teacher hadn't reacted, Amasawa Reigetsu had already leapt into the pool.
He didn't paddle with his hands. Relying solely on momentum and the twist of his hips, he reached Morishita Ran, who was flailing in the water, in the blink of an eye.
Skillfully avoiding her frantic, unconscious grabbing, he seized Morishita Ran's arm and lifted her steadily out of the water, swimming toward the poolside.
Dragged ashore, Morishita Ran slumped awkwardly onto the tiled floor. She coughed violently and spat out pool water, her bangs plastered wetly to her face. She looked both pitiful and funny.
"That doesn't make sense. Shouldn't I be able to walk on water?"
Everyone's faces went blank. Ran really had fallen out of her zone...
Meanwhile, the girls' race had also come to an end, and the first-place finisher was none other than Sakayanagi Arisu!!
—or rather, her lackey, Kamuro Masumi.
Amasawa Reigetsu wasn't surprised. They were Class A students, after all. Their brains were already simple; surely their limbs had to be well-developed? Besides, the running drills he'd put her through were White Room Lv. 1. Since she'd managed to stick with them, beating ordinary people should be a piece of cake.
With the commotion from the girls' race over, Kito Hayato, Hashimoto Masayoshi, Katsuragi Kohei, and the others in the boys' group were eager to try, but after seeing Amasawa Reigetsu's textbook-perfect rescue, they were all a little apprehensive.
Was there a hidden expert among them?
Amasawa Reigetsu waved a hand.
"Sakayanagi and I are going to look after Morishita. We'll sit out the race."
No, thanks. Showing everyone how good he was just to win 5,000 points sounded awful.
What, you think rescuing Morishita Ran didn't show off his skills? That didn't count. He wanted a Hydro Vision.
Class A's students: Was there a Buddha in their class?
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, café.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the café's floor-to-ceiling windows, falling across the elegant wooden tables.
Kushida Kikyo had arrived ten minutes early and deliberately chosen a quiet corner by the window. She wore a pale pink knit cardigan with a white pleated skirt, and her face bore her trademark sweet, approachable smile.
Before long, Amasawa Reigetsu walked in.
"Reigetsu! Over here!"
Kushida Kikyo immediately stood up and waved enthusiastically.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kushida."
Amasawa Reigetsu took a seat, looking with interest at Kushida Kikyo, who had invited him out to try a new item at the café. He wondered what had made her think of him.
"You're so popular, Kushida. I'm honored you went out of your way to invite me. To show my appreciation, I'll treat you today. Your Class D is a little short on points right now, isn't it?"
"You don't have to! I'd feel so bad!"
Kushida Kikyo was thrilled. He really was interested in her! Adolescent boys were so easy to handle. Next, all she had to do was...
The scene of Amasawa Reigetsu making Horikita Suzune apologize appeared in Kushida Kikyo's mind again, and the corner of her mouth lifted by a single pixel.
After placing their orders, they chatted for a while about amusing things happening around school. Kushida Kikyo sometimes covered her mouth and giggled, sometimes listened attentively, and eventually even moved to sit beside Amasawa Reigetsu, acting like the perfect girlfriend—both bashful and bold.
Amasawa Reigetsu played along with Kushida Kikyo's wishes, putting on an act of blushing and a racing heart.
Was this the Oscars?
When the time seemed right, Kushida Kikyo sighed softly, her voice carrying just the right touch of troubled concern.
"Speaking of which, midterms are coming up soon. Everyone in Class D has been really anxious lately. If we fail... the consequences will be awful."
Amasawa Reigetsu paused, then nodded. "Yeah, this exam is pretty difficult."
So there really were people who might fail!?
"You're one of Class A's top students, Reigetsu. You must have plenty of unique study methods, right?"
Kushida Kikyo wrapped both hands around Amasawa's right arm, pressing her chest and perfume against him as she gazed at him with admiration and curiosity.
"For example, past exam papers and things like that... Could you let me in on just a little? I really want to help everyone."