"We… we got second place?!"
In Class D's camp, everyone couldn't help but question what they were seeing. But the names and rankings on the scoreboard clearly told them—it wasn't a dream. It was real!
Class D, originally in third or fourth place from the bottom, had climbed to second place thanks to Ayanokouji's incredible final leg. Especially in the last 100-meter sprint after the curve, he overtook several leading runners in a row, closing in on Nagumo. In the end, he fell short by just a single stride.
Though it wasn't an underdog victory where he charged ahead and claimed the championship, Ayanokouji's performance was enough to shock countless students—and even the teachers.
Anyone with a sharp eye could tell that if the gap hadn't been so wide at the start, Nagumo might not have won at all.
At the same time, Ayanokouji became the biggest highlight of the relay race. Compared to Nagumo, who finished first, Ayanokouji, who placed second, actually drew more attention.
All around, students were buzzing about this first-year newcomer. If someone hadn't known better, they might have thought Ayanokouji was the actual champion.
"Looks like there's been an unexpected twist in Vice President Nagumo's 'new era.'"
Hikigaya somehow ended up standing next to Nagumo, but Nagumo didn't seem upset about Ayanokouji stealing the spotlight… yeah, right.
Even though Nagumo acted indifferent, as if the sports festival was nothing to him, Hikigaya still caught a fleeting trace of cold malice in his eyes.
Anyone familiar with Nagumo would also notice something was off. The more normal he acted, the clearer it was that he was just putting on an act—he was genuinely angry.
"This year's first-years sure have some impressive students, especially Class D."
Nagumo clapped in appreciation, but his smile was ice-cold.
"Yeah, if they had tried a little harder, they might've even taken first place," Hikigaya replied.
Nagumo: "..."
Nagumo turned to look directly at Hikigaya. Hikigaya didn't flinch and met his gaze without hesitation. Then, all of a sudden, Nagumo laughed.
"Looks like things won't be boring from now on."
"Quite the opposite. I actually prefer a boring life. But no matter what I do, unexpected things just keep happening."
Hikigaya's expression didn't change.
"Well, see you later then."
Nagumo suddenly left behind that strange remark and walked away, leaving Hikigaya confused.
At the same time, the dead-fish-eyed boy let out a sigh in his heart. Ever since the incident at the mall during summer break, he had come to understand that some things were simply unavoidable. Even if he tried to run from them, they would eventually catch up to him in one way or another.
Unlike Horikita Manabu, he and Nagumo were fundamentally different kinds of people. Conflict between them was inevitable. So instead of constantly backing down and enduring, he had to show some strength when necessary.
"But Ayanokouji is seriously impressive."
Hikigaya had also watched the last 200-meter sprint. That speed was more than enough to make him a professional athlete. Hikigaya had already suspected that Ayanokouji had more than just hidden academic talent—his physical abilities must be remarkable too. But even so, he had still underestimated the guy's athleticism. He was no less capable than Koenji.
"Isn't he usually the type to stay low-key and play dumb? Why is he suddenly showing off like this?"
What truly surprised Hikigaya wasn't the fact that Ayanokouji had been hiding his abilities—it was why he had chosen to reveal them now.
With the last event of the sports festival over, the final scores were in. The red team had the higher total score, which meant that both Class B and Class C would each lose 100 class points.
In the rankings by school year, first place went to Year 1's Class A, Ichinose's class. Following them were Class C, then Class B, with Class D in last place.
This result wasn't unexpected. It also highlighted how poorly Class D had performed. In the red team, the second- and third-year Class A teams had dominated, securing first place with an overwhelming lead. Class D was consistently among the lowest-ranked, maintaining its usual spot. But the only class that truly dragged the red team down was Year 1's Class D.
Despite carrying the dead weight of Year 1's Class D, the red team still managed to win. That only went to show how strong the upper-year Class A teams were.
In the end, class points were adjusted. Ichinose's Class A gained 150 class points, while Sakayanagi's Class B lost 150. Ryuuen's Class C lost 100, and as for Class D, their class points remained unchanged.
The first "test" after summer break had ended, and rather than closing the gap between their classes, Sakayanagi's Class B had fallen even further behind Ichinose's Class A.
Athletics had always been a weak point for Class A. But what truly surprised everyone was Ichinose's class. Not only were they academically strong, but their athletic performance was also outstanding. They were well-balanced in both intelligence and physical ability.
And this year's best first-year athlete was also from Ichinose's class—Shibata Sou!
Just as everyone thought the sports festival was finally over, Hikigaya noticed something strange. The second- and third-year students weren't leaving. It was as if they were waiting for something.
Then, a senior teacher walked up to the main stage. At the same time, the large screen on the stage zoomed in on them.
Hikigaya immediately had a bad feeling.
"Now, I will explain the additional event for this sports festival…"
The unexpected additional event was open to all grade levels. That meant students from all three years would be competing against each other. Each class would send three students, for a total of 12 students per grade, representing their year.
And the event was… a mixed-gender three-legged race!
"Wait a second. If each class sends three students, what happens to the extra one?!"
It didn't take long for the students to realize the problem. A three-legged race required teams of two, but with an odd number of participants, someone would be left out. However, some people quickly figured it out.
The rules only stated that it had to be a two-person team—they never said the partners had to be from the same class. Since this was a competition between grade levels, the extra student could just pair up with the extra student from another class.
That way, they could make two complete teams.
At this moment, many people realized something—the reason why the school required students from different classes to team up for the three-legged race in the group competition. It turned out everything had been leading up to this moment!
As for the rewards and penalties, the classes of the top three teams would receive 60, 40, and 20 class points, while the classes of the bottom three teams would lose 50 class points.
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