Though Ryo had anticipated how attractive the Beach Flag Showdown task would be to surrounding teams, he was still stunned by the sheer number of students gathered at the registration site when his group finally crested the hill and reached the beach.
At least ten groups were already present, including several elite teams ranking high in the standings. Ryo casually glanced around and spotted two Class D powerhouses, Sudo Ken and Yamada Albert, doing warm-up exercises with intense focus, clearly aiming for first place.
But registration came first. Since the task was divided into male and female brackets, with separate registration and competition areas, Ryo had to temporarily part ways with Ichinose, Horikita, and Sakayanagi and head alone to the boys' side.
Luckily, he managed to snag the last spot—participant number 20—just in time. After verifying with the supervising teacher, he secured his entry.
"All students who have successfully registered for the boys' Beach Flag Showdown, please gather here."
The teacher blew a whistle, summoning the participants.
Ryo now had time to size up his competition. Thanks to the participation prize, nearly half the boys were clearly here just for the free 500ml of water. Even Sudo had roped in Yukimura, whose slender frame looked even more fragile next to Yamada's hulking figure. Clearly, Yukimura wasn't expected to place.
Among the real contenders, Ryo identified only a few threats: Sudo and Yamada from his class, Shibata from Class B, Kito from Class A, and Ryuuen from Class C.
Ryo's gaze landed on Ryuuen, one of only three solo participants in this exam—the others being Karuizawa Kei and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Ryuuen met his look with a sharp-toothed grin and a deliberately provocative eyebrow raise. Clearly not a friendly greeting.
Still, Ryo wasn't bothered. Despite Ryuuen's attempt to conceal it, he spotted numerous scratches on the guy's arms and legs—too many, even considering the rugged terrain. It was only day two of the exam, after all.
"This task will use a lottery system. Each participant will draw lots to determine their opponent. Winners advance to the next round until the top three are decided."
Straightforward and brutal. You might get eliminated early if you drew a strong opponent, but on the flip side, a bit of luck could carry you into the top ranks. And with the consolation prize secured, no one objected. The boys lined up to draw lots.
Next was changing into competition gear. Since it only required undressing, the boys were quickly assembled in swim trunks, warming up with stretches and leg swings.
Ryo checked his number—he'd be the third match in the first round. His opponent was yet unknown.
Sudo Ken drew the first match and faced off against a Class A student. Known for his top-tier athletic ability, Sudo launched forward the moment the whistle blew, grabbing the flag while his opponent was still halfway there.
Reaction time and explosive strength—this was what the Beach Flag event tested most.
Soon, it was Ryo's turn. His opponent was an average Class B student, and Ryo easily outran him.
With round one over, only ten boys remained—the weaker half had been weeded out.
Ryo's second match was just as easy. He was paired against a student who cramped up after his first match. Ryo advanced effortlessly.
In another match, Class A's athletic ace Kito went up against Shibata from Class B. Although Kito was stronger overall, Shibata, a soccer club member, had better sprinting power and snatched the flag by a razor-thin margin.
Ryuuen wasn't as lucky—he drew Yamada Albert. Had Ryo not interfered, Yamada would've been placed in Class C, but now he stood as Class D's athletic powerhouse. Ryo watched their match with interest.
Ryuuen actually got the jump on Yamada, his burst speed impressive. But in the end, Yamada's longer arms gave him the edge.
Ryuuen didn't seem upset. Without complaint, he collected his participation prize and walked off without looking back.
While Ryo considered what Ryuuen might be planning, the second round concluded. The final five were: Kitagawa Ryo, Shibata Sou, Yamada Albert, Sudo Ken, and Miyake Akito.
Four out of the five finalists were from Class D—three of them from the same group.
Sudo finally had a chance to greet Ryo:
"Guess I got lucky not drawing you yet."
"It's bound to happen eventually. How's your team doing?"
"If we get more of these unlimited-entry physical tasks today, we could rake in points and rewards."
Sudo scratched his head, fully aware of his group's athletic advantage.
Before they could chat more, round three began.
Miyake Akito lucked out and got a bye into the top three.
The remaining matches were Sudo vs. Yamada, and Ryo vs. Shibata.
"Thanks for looking after our class leader last night."
Shibata said with a bright smile as they stepped onto the starting line.
"Just doing my part."
After a brief exchange, they took their positions. When the whistle blew, Ryo launched forward with even greater speed than before, leaving Shibata stunned as he snatched the flag.
"Your core strength is amazing," Shibata said, genuinely impressed. "Your burst and stamina—no one in our grade can match you."
"Thanks."
Ryo nodded, exhaling softly. With dreams as big as his, core strength was a must.
Sudo also won his match, helped by Yamada deliberately holding back to conserve Sudo's energy for the final.
The finals used a double elimination format. Miyake first lost to Sudo, then challenged Ryo.
"I'll go easy—Sudo wants to face you at your best."
Miyake said lightly before losing quickly. Ryo and Sudo were set for the final.
"If you want first, you'll have to beat me!"
Sudo declared with his usual hot-blooded flair.
"Bring it on!"
Ryo matched his enthusiasm.
At the starter pistol's crack, both shot forward almost simultaneously. But from the second step onward, Ryo's superior technique and leg drive became obvious. He flew forward and seized the flag in a clean sweep.
Having fought his way to the final only to be trounced, Sudo could only stand dumbfounded, smiling wryly at the vast difference in ability.
"I'm heading over to check the girls' side. You guys?"
Ryo glanced at his watch to confirm his points and then turned to Sudo.
"We'll move on," said Yukimura, who had been eliminated in round one. He packed the water into his bag. "Need to hit the next task quickly."
Since Sudo's group was all male, there was no reason to stick around.
Waving goodbye, Ryo headed for the changing area to get dressed.
Going to the girls' side in just swim trunks? If this were a rom-com, that'd be asking for a classic mishap. Better safe than sorry.
-------------------------------------
Although the school had provided several styles of swimsuits for the beach flag event, most of the girls opted to wear their own.
Before summer break, everyone had looked forward to beach vacations, meticulously selecting their swimwear. Even though the vacation turned into a deserted island survival test, now that they finally had a chance, of course they wanted to wear what they brought.
That said, Sakayanagi Arisu was feeling a bit awkward.
Even without comparing herself to the other girls in the changing room, she couldn't ignore a somewhat sad truth.
Back when she bought her swimsuit, she had gone with the shop clerk's recommendation—a "cute style."
But now she realized something important:
There was no such thing as a "cute" or "sexy" swimsuit style. It entirely depended on who wore it.
The swimsuit she wore—said to be the trendiest cute style this year—would probably become the trendiest sexy style if worn by Ichinose Honami instead.
Ichinose, for her part, was unfazed by the stares she got. She was clearly used to being the center of attention in changing rooms. With ease and poise, she changed into a swimsuit that wasn't even very revealing but somehow still exuded charm.
The side strings of her swimsuit gently pressed into her pale skin, accentuating her figure flawlessly.
Arisu quickly looked away—only to meet eyes with Horikita Suzune.
The dark-haired girl had already changed. With a hair tie in her mouth, she calmly lifted her arms and tied her hair back into a simple ponytail—more practical for the upcoming event.
Suzune was in high spirits. After all, unlike the others, her swimsuit was a special one—personally picked out for her by Kitagawa Ryo.
Holding her ponytail in place with one hand, she tied the band with the other. As she did so, the top of her swimsuit curved into a perfect semicircle around her chest, beautifully shaped and proportioned. Her side also revealed two graceful oblique lines, proof of a healthy, well-maintained lifestyle.
Arisu turned her gaze away again.
She had always believed she was a child of excellent genes from outstanding parents. But right now, her confidence wavered just a little.
Looking down, she could see the twin layers of sheer fabric forming a small skirt around her hips. Her light blue swimsuit, more like a one-piece dress, had been described by the sales clerk as offering a dreamy and subtly alluring look with its dual-layered mesh.
They said nothing about the upper half, though.
After a brief spell of melancholy, Arisu shook off the thoughts and adjusted her mindset.
It had been nearly ten years since she last wore a swimsuit.
This was a rare and novel experience.
With that thought, she twirled lightly in place, only to bump into Ichinose, who had just finished changing and was about to head out with her.
Foul play!
So unfair! Arisu gave her an accusatory glare with her beautiful eyes.
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